We protect the Haven’s natural environment for the benefit of marine life and wildlife, and anyone working in or visiting the area. Our work is also critical to the harbour’s sustainability and long-term development, and it’s a responsibility we take very seriously.

Preventing pollution

To reduce risk of marine pollution incidents such as oil spills, our specialist team deploys different levels of response, depending on the severity of an incident. We use our own expertise and dedicated equipment to handle a Tier One response. For more serious Tier Two and Tier Three incidents, we work with specialist organisations to meet the demands of larger spills.

Our response plan is closely monitored and updated according to legislation and best working practice.

Collaboration is key

To ensure that we respond efficiently, we carry out our own oil spill exercises. We also collaborate with other organisations to deploy combined responses such as the Haven Oil Working Group (HOWG) and the Harwich Combined Accident Plan. Both groups are made up of the Authority, plus organisations such as local authorities, environmental groups, local ports and government agencies.