Chichester Harbour Completes Pontoon Development
Photo Credit_Chichester Harbour Conservancy / Compass Photography Services
Chichester Harbour Conservancy has completed its Itchenor pontoon development, extending the previous pontoon by 7 meters further out from shore, with 100 meters added to improve vessel walk-ashore berthing and access to the harbor ferry.
Chichester Harbour is one of the UK’s most popular leisure harbors, with an estimated 25,000 people enjoying its waters for racing, cruising, and fishing each year. The harbor is home to over 12,000 residential vessels, representing about 25% of all the recreational craft in the Solent. Chichester Harbour Conservancy is the Statutory Harbour Authority responsible for safe and efficient waterway use, alongside its stewardship of the harbor as a Natural Landscape.
Marine consultancy and survey company ABPmer supported the Conservancy with a Navigational Risk Assessment (NRA) conducted jointly with the Chichester Harbour team. This included identifying hazards during the construction and operational phases, speaking with stakeholders, and developing risk assessments to identify risk controls (mitigation).
ABPmer also surveyed to understand the difference in tidal flow between the original and extended pontoon. The survey identified a maximum increase of 0.2 knots between the two locations, deemed not to constitute a safety risk to non-powered craft.
The pontoon development was conceived with the aim of greatly improving the walk-ashore berthing for yachts, powerboats, and fishing vessels. This was achieved by extending the pontoon footprint in association with shoreside amenity improvements.
The project provides significant safety benefits by reducing the need for boat owners to use small tenders to reach their craft, thereby increasing convenience and ease of access to shoreside welfare facilities.
The improvements to the Harbour Office include a regime of work to reduce its carbon footprint and measures to increase resilience to flooding. The project was subject to licensing, including granting a Marine Licence for the seaward works provided by the Marine Management Organisation (MMO). The marine works were completed in Autumn 2024, and the project’s finishing touches will be added for the upcoming 2025 boating season.
