Cattewater Harbour Commissioners in Plymouth Harbour

Plymouth, our proud Ocean City, is regularly visited by huge seagoing vessels including cargo ships, cruise liners, warships and more. Their safe arrival at the port is the job of the Cattewater Harbour Commissioners, an organisation formed 150 years ago

The Atlantic Twin has just appeared on the horizon. The people happily drinking their morning lattes in the cafes on Plymouth’s Barbican probably haven’t noticed the 150-metre-long, 30,000 tonne cargo ship laden with £30 million worth of petroleum heading their way. In the time it takes to savour a coffee, the enormous ship is past the breakwater and coming through the choppy harbour towards the commercial terminal at Cattedown Wharf. Its seamless passage through one of the busiest ports in the country is down to harbour master Captain Richard Allan and his expert team at Cattewater Harbour Commissioners (CHC).

Currently celebrating its 150th anniversary, this historic Barbican-based organisation was established by royal order in 1874 to regulate the port of Plymouth area.

Work is never boring for harbour master Captain Richard Allan. (Image: Cattewater Harbour Commissioners) Recent figures show that hundreds of vessels carrying more than 2 million tonnes of cargo– everything from fuel to food and fertiliser – were guided through these waters last year.

Some of these ships appear to block out the sun as they arrive, either at the end of their journey or part-way through their epic overseas voyages.

They’re incredible to watch but more incredible is watching them float safely past packed marinas and ferries and paddleboarders and more.

‘It’s quite a big vessel and not a very big port so you need that bit of support to hold it, especially if it’s windy like it is today,’ says Richard, explaining what it takes to ‘park’ a gigantic tanker, such as the Atlantic Twin. He mentions something about turning her in the river before heading to the berth to discharge cargo. I think I’ve just done a similar manoeuvre in the long stay car park down the road, albeit on a slightly smaller scale.

Schoolchildren look over at the Atlantic Twin cargo ship. (Image: Cattewater Harbour Commissioners) ‘Our tug is out there at the moment supporting the cargo ships coming in,’ Richard continues. ‘It might be that the cargo vessel needs to be pushed, pulled or manoeuvred into position. We’ve also got a pilot on board who will have gone out and boarded prior to entering the port. He then works with the harbour master to help bring it in safely.’

For Richard and his team, this is all part of the service. Cattewater Harbour Commissioners exists by an act of parliament to oversee the safe arrival of big boats into port. This is done by providing pilotage services (tugs etc) but also by making sure the expansive waters around here are well maintained, dredged and safe enough for the vessels to be in – and not just cargo ships. Plymouth is establishing a global reputation as a go-to destination for cruise liners. There are around 15 due in this summer (not all at once).

‘I’ve actually just got off the phone to a cruise ship company who want to come here tomorrow,’ says Richard. That’s short notice. Is it do-able?

‘We’ll say yes, then we’ll sort it out!’ he adds, smiling.

The Port of Plymouth handles a variety of cargo through the commercial terminals at Cattedown Wharves, Victoria Wharf and Corporation Wharf. (Image: Cattewater Harbour Commissioners) Devon-raised Richard served in the Royal Auxiliary Navy and worked in commercial shipping, including for multi-national firms, such as BP and Swire. He became harbour master and chief executive at CHC four years ago, taking on a role that’s full-on but never dull.

‘I think everyone that works here would probably agree that every day is different,’ says Richard. ‘A wide selection of things gets thrown at you throughout the day. It’s almost pointless having a to-do list because you generally won’t get it done because in the first hour, so much happens that you’ve got to sort out.’

During our chat, word comes through that a broken-down yacht tied to one of the port’s pontoons broke free overnight and has now been recovered.

‘Our team has just sorted that out,’ says Richard. ‘The worry was making sure there was no one on board but now we know there wasn’t, but he does need some help. We can do that and help him get on his way,’ says Richard. ‘From giant boats to little yachts floating around the river – we see it all.’

A cruise ship near the breakwater. (Image: One Plymouth) He then explains that some other members of staff are out helping to install 25 new moorings on the River Plym.

‘Once it’s finished, that’ll be good for the season because we’ve got a new area of moorings, which is great for the stakeholders and it’s an additional income for the port.’

Richard’s role, it soon becomes clear, is a careful balancing act of trying to keep everyone safe and happy, from the huge tanker companies to the recreational sailors who use the local marinas. That’s all got to be done while driving trade and commerce for the port and protecting the environment and its wildlife. It’s vital work that goes on in full view of city life. And yet many locals (me included) tend to forget that they live near such an important global port.

The Port of Plymouth often has some usually visiting vessels, such as this historic galleon. (Image: Cattewater Harbour Commissioners) Richard regularly invites groups of schoolchildren to come and spend some time with staff in the CHC offices, based in a smartly renovated old building by the historic Mayflower Steps. The session usually involves a Pirates of the Caribbean video introduction by Mark Parlett (finance manager and collector of rates for CHC) and a big map of the world. Youngsters can then find out where the cargo coming in and out of their home city originates from. Examples of products, such as wood pellets, wheat and animal feed, are lined up in jars along the wall in the boardroom.

Some of the older kids even get to go out on the pilot boats. One teenager was so blown away by the whole experience that he wants a job here once he finishes school. Richard - very much the type to get stuff done - is making sure that happens. After a successful work experience stint, the lad is starting an apprenticeship this year.

It’s part of a drive to secure the future of this historic organisation – something Richard is keen to push as much as he can.

Plymouth is regularly visited by huge vessels from all over the world. (Image: Cattewater Harbour Commissioners) ‘The way I see it, we’re looking after the port and the river for future generations, that’s our role,’ says Richard. ‘That’s environmentally, commercially and economically. We’re just a chapter in a very long book and I want to make sure our chapter is a good one.’

Lately, that has meant implementing and researching more sustainable practices, including solar technology and shore power, the provision of electrical power for ships while they’re in port. Essentially, it means boats don’t leave their engines running while they’re parked (berthed).

Recent world events also have to be factored in as prices of food and fuel go up and markets go down, which affects the cargo coming in and out of Plymouth.

‘That’s what I mean about this job,’ says Richard. ‘It’s great because it’s so diverse.

A panoramic view of Cattewater Harbour. (Image: Shaun Roster) ‘Oh, hi, you’re here. We might have a cruise coming in tomorrow,’ says Richard to his deputy, Sean Marshall and duty pilot Captain Richard Eggleton who have just walked in. It’s only 10am and the pair have already had a busy morning, piloting tankers, sorting out a broken lock on a gate and preparing for the arrival of another cargo ship, due in at 10pm.