Argyll and Bute Council continues to maintain a national good practice standard for its ports and harbours.
The Port Marine Safety Code (PMSC) sets out a national safety standard covering different aspects of running ports and harbours, and represents ‘good practice’ as recognised by a wide range of industry stakeholders.
The current list of more than 230 ports, published by The Department for Transport as complying with the Code, represents around 14% of UK ports and 30% of Statutory Harbour Authorities.
Achieving the standard involves an independent assessor, or Designated Person, carrying out assurance audits of ports and harbours. Recent audits were carried out at Campbeltown Harbour, Tayinloan Pier, Carradale Harbour, West Loch Tarbert and Arinagour Coll.
During their assurance audit in Argyll and Bute, the Designated Person highlighted Aids to Navigation as an area of ‘Best Practice’ in Campbeltown, across Kintyre and Coll.
Chair of the Harbour Board, Councillor Ross Moreland, said: “Managing ports and harbours is a service Argyll and Bute Council delivers that most other local authorities do not. It’s something we take seriously so I am delighted that we continue to meet the exacting standards of the PMSC and that there are areas of best practice to celebrate. My thanks go to our teams at all our piers and harbours for their hard work.”
You can view the Port Marine Safety Code on the council website: www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/roads-and-travel/marine-services/marine-safety-management-system
