Cowes Harbour Commission logo coloured crest

Cowes Harbour Commission
Harbour Authority & Marine Services
Newsletter 27th January 2021
HM 1 patrol RIB
Commissioner Vacancy On CHC Board
Today sees the start of this year’s recruitment programme where we hope to attract new members to the CHC Board. Each Commissioner appointment is made after an open competitive selection process based on the agreed skills and experience requirements. Conservation has always been important and as harbour authority CHC must have due regard to the environment in every aspect of our business and its activities. In this day and age, we are keen to increase the priority level and visibility of our environmental work and now look to push this forward and see what we can do better, helped by the appointment of a Commissioner to promote the sustainability and conservation portfolio through their interest and experience. Our Advisory Committee have also been raising awareness of the sustainability and conservation agenda at their members’ meetings. As you may know, the Isle of Wight is proud to have been a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve since 2019 and there is already a strong tradition on the Island of positive environmental action with numerous projects and initiatives. 

I would also like to draw your attention to next week’s big changes at CHC, where we will be welcoming Gary Hall to join the CHC team as our future CEO and when Deputy Harbour Master Ed Walker will take over from me as Harbour Master for Cowes. I wish them both great success and enjoyment in their new posts and I look forward to assisting where appropriate with the smooth transfer of responsibilities and duties.

Capt. Stuart McIntosh - Cowes Harbour Master
Harbour Commissioner vacancy at Cowes
Handover to new Harbour Master
Following a 23-year career with Cowes Harbour Commission, Harbour Master and Chief Executive Capt. Stuart McIntosh is to hand over the Harbour Master role on 1st February to Ed Walker, current Deputy Harbour Master Marine Services. The position of CEO has been appointed to Gary Hall, who starts at Cowes Harbour Commission next week with a planned handover of the CEO role towards the end of February.
Cowes Harbour Masters
Recruitment open for Harbour Commissioner at Cowes
Cowes Harbour Commission (CHC) is seeking a non-executive member to join the Board of Cowes Harbour Commissioners. This voluntary role offers an exciting opportunity to make a valuable contribution to the work of Cowes Harbour, a leading Trust Port, key economic driver and the Isle of Wight’s principal maritime gateway.

CHC is committed to further increasing diversity on the Board of Commissioners and we therefore welcome applications from all sections of the community. We aim to ensure that Commissioner membership is drawn from a wide range of backgrounds and skills to deliver diversity in Board composition and decision-making, a key element of good governance. 

Candidates should have a familiarity with local issues with an emphasis on sustainability and conservation, or chartered surveying, however, these skills are not prescriptive, and we would like to hear from anyone with enthusiasm and commitment who is interested in public service. 

The Commission is currently seeking to appoint one new Commissioner to commence his/her initial three-year term from 1st May 2021. CHC has the ability to co-opt up to two additional Commissioners for 12 months if it is considered the Board requires additional specialist skills and experience. Applications close at 1200 noon on Monday, 1st March 2021.
Visiting vessels to Cowes - changes from 1st January 2021
Following the UK’s exit from the European Union at the end of December 2020, new Border Force and customs regulations have come into force. Anyone who owns or is responsible for a leisure craft that sails to or from locations outside the UK is required to provide vessel, citizen, and goods documentation. The new rules on entering the UK from the European Union apply to EU/EEA citizens that do not already hold permission to enter or have an existing right of entry to the UK.

All recreational vessels seeking entry to the UK must call the local Border Force Office for the relevant arrival location in order to be granted permission to enter the UK. You must also call the HMRC National Yachtline to make an arrival report for UK customs purposes and to declare your vessel status. UK customs rules are also changing, and international recreational vessel arrivals are advised to check the latest information on the UK Government website.

Further information with links to the relevant pages on GOV.UK can be found on the CHC website: 

See also Cowes Local Notice to Mariners No. 03(T) of 2021: 
Saltmarsh project update
Medina Estuary saltmarsh project update
The past year, more than any other, has shown us how important nature and the coast are for our health and well-being. As a coastal community, many of us have a deep affection for the sea that started in childhood and goes beyond its role in supporting our activities. It seems that there is more to this connection as the benefits of coastal habitats are now increasingly understood to be essential to our way of life. They absorb and bind huge amounts of carbon from the atmosphere, support flood defence and reduce pollution whilst providing a home for wildlife. CHC is part of a project that will help to support and enhance some of these coastal habitats so that they in turn are able to continue supporting and enhancing our lives. 
Subscribe to Cowes LNTMs
Trinity Landing walkway
CHC Patrol RIB HM1
Shepards Marina
Cowes Harbour Services Fuel Berth