Guernsey Harbours mooring fees to rise by 1%

St Peter Port QEII Marina and harbour. Credit: Guernsey Press Credit: Guernsey Press

The majority of Guernsey Harbours charges and mooring fees will rise by 1% in 2017.

This will apply to most commercial freight and passenger ferry charges, as well as marina fees for local boatowners and visiting vessels.

The increases are slightly above the most recent (Sept 2016) inflation figure of 0.9% (RPI).

A new £1 charge for disembarking cruise passengers will also come into effect in 2017, and is expected to raise around £130,000 next year. In 2018 this will increase to £1.50 and, subject to a change in charging regulations, be extended to cover all passengers on visiting vessels, whether they come ashore or not. This is in line with industry practice

The new security charge is levied on the cruise ship operator, in addition to a mooring fee of up to £1,515 per vessel, rather than on individual passengers. The combined changes from 2018 are expected to increase revenues by around £125,000 a year.

The 2017 increases will apply to commercial charges from 1 January, mooring fees from 1 April, and boat lay-up fees from 1 September.

Harbourmaster Captain Chad Murray said the 1% increase in charges was reasonable.

‘Regulatory costs like security have been rising and, as has been well publicised, the harbour infrastructure requires significant investment. Against that backdrop an increase of only slightly above inflation is reasonable,’ he said.