Harbour Dredging amounts 2018-2023

Dear Mr Pearson,

Thank you for your prompt reply.

Further to your email regarding Whitby Harbour Dredging.  I shall endeavour to answer each point in turn.

You are correct about higher tonnage averages of dredging pre- 2011, however it is my understanding that reduction from dredging 71000 tonnes to around 49000 tonnes was more of a Marine Management Organisation issue than a commercial issue.

Interestingly in the submission for a dredging licence one of your predecessors, Trevor Douglas Shannon, he stated

“The only noticeable change to previous Licence conditions is that the amount of spoil to be dredged per annum was reduced in 2011 from the previous amount of 98,000 Tonnes to the present amount of 49,000 Tonnes. The reason for the reduction was for commercial reasons and that it was deemed that 49,000 Tonnes was sufficient for the Harbour requirements.”

So I respectfully suggest that you are mistaken. The wording cannot get much clearer than Mr Shannon utilised.

The FOI states the tonnage per calendar year, so that 2023 does appear excessively low and does not necessarily reflect the full a full picture.  In addition to this the Dredger was required to undertake a full 5 yearly inspection and extension drydocking program towards the end of 2023 and beginning of 2024. 

Indeed, a simple annual figure will never tell the full story. What we can say though, is that the Sandsend was leased to Dalby Offshore during 2023 (please confirm), when it could have been dredging Whitby (and Scarborough) Harbour. Likely this leasing was also for commercial reasons (and no I don’t have a problem with NYC trying to provide full value for its council tax payers using its resources, just that it needs to cater for its obligations to its own residents and harbour users before all others).

If an inspection and drydocking programme was every 5 years then the Harbour Master would have had 5 years to plan for this eventuality. They could have resourced alternative dredging during 2023, but did not. What we can also say is that from a project management perspective the dredging operation during 2023 was utterly flawed.

Harbour users should expect a level of dredging, which then facilitates them being able to freely enter and leave port without significant hindrance. Sadly that was seemingly not the case during 2023, and seemingly continues to not be the case. NYC subsequently decided to increase harbour fees by 6%. Again, for commercial reasons one must assume.

In reference to targeted tonnage, we cannot work by targeted tonnage, as this would mean dredging for dredging sake. We conduct regular sounding surveys, so that we can monitor dredged depths and identify key target areas which need our attention. Where possible we try to maintain depths to be around 1.4m below chart datum, which cannot be guaranteed due to the occasional rapid siltation.

We have recently conducted a sounding survey and we have identified the key target areas for our 2024 to 2025 Dredging campaigns.

Of course I did not imply that you should dredge for dredging sake, I simply asked what your proposed amounts for 2024 and 2025 would likely be.

Attached are diagrams from a former submission of SBC for a dredging licence, showing the dredging level below chart datum. This should hopefully align with what NYC are currently working to provide for harbour users.

The fact that you are performing regular sounding surveys is great, but that simply will tell you the levels across the harbour at a point in time – which, as you say, can vary. However such soundings together with simple volumetric analysis would yield an estimated volume of dredging needed to attempt to get bed levels back to something approaching the attached diagrams. This would be then providing something like a contract of service that you will provide to harbour users … for their 6% increased harbour dues.

I would expect a harbour authority to possess the capability to perform such a volumetric analysis and, with modern calculation tools, it doesn’t need a degree in maths (that I possess). So I ask again, can you share your estimated dredging amount for 2024? If you reach 49000 tonnes in a year, does the current licence preclude you doing further dredging? or is there some exceptional circumstances charge levied?

I did not see any reference in your reply to my addendum question regarding the NYC website, about being able to accomodate vessels with a draft of 5-6.5m at Endeavour Wharf. Can you please confirm whether this is still correct? And further to that, say when the most recent vessels of a draft approaching that have entered and moored at Endeavour Wharf?

Please be assured that navigational safety is of the harbour and all the harbour users is of our paramount importance.

I can only relay that on to harbour users who have to bottom their keels entering the harbour.

On a related note, we have heard that the dredger no longer has an active crew, either currently suspended, or not employed. Can you please confirm or deny this? If it is true, please say how that will impact on your prospective dredging programme for 2024.

Mr G Pearson, Harbour Master, Scarborough & Whitby Harbours and Filey Coble Landing

Would it also be possible to clarify something else. In your email you signed as Harbour Master, yet on LinkedIn you are Deputy Harbour Master. Could you clarify the situation please? If you have indeed recently been promoted to Harbour Master, please accept our sincere congratulations, and best wishes for restoring this harbour to the standard that it is currently so far away from.

Regards

Whitby Community Network