Harbour Charges

Basis for Harbour Charges

The authority to charge “ship, passenger and goods dues” as considered “fit” is vested in the Board of Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL) by the Harbours Act 1964 section 26(2) and applicable at all locations where CMAL are the statutory harbour authority and exercise their statutory harbour powers in accordance with their governing legislation. This power is subject to a right of objection to the Secretary of State for Transport under section 31 of that same Act.

The monies raised from levying harbour dues are primarily used to maintain the harbours and to provide for their long-term viability and encompasses, ‘ship, passenger and goods dues’, namely those charges associated with:

• Ships entering, using or leaving the harbour;
• Passengers embarking or disembarking at the harbour;
• Goods brought into, taken out of, or carried through the harbour by ship;

Charges are not levied for use of ancillary facilities at the harbour or port in question provided for such passengers or goods.

At non-statutory ports, harbours, and slipways owned by CMAL, fees are charged for the use of the facilities at rates concurrent with those applied at CMAL’s statutory harbour areas.

Paying your Harbour Charges

Harbour charges are payable at all CMAL Harbours by all users.

All Persons, Vessels, Vehicles, Caravans, Containers and Goods entering the Harbour and all Persons entering into a contract with CMAL are subject to the CMAL Terms and Conditions of Harbour Use.

Pier/traffic dues or charges and commodity charges apply to goods/items shipped and landed.

General Charges apply to all vessels not covered by the other defined categories and which are not exempt (in law) from paying pier and harbour charges.

The Master of any vessel coming within the pier or harbour area must report his or her presence to the Harbour Operator within 24-hours of arrival and comply with any berthing or anchoring instructions given.

At unstaffed harbours, piers and slipways the vessel Master will report his or her vessel’s presence, size, length of stay and purpose along with notification of a permanent address to which all charges incurred may be invoiced (subject to minimum invoice value).

Charges are based on a call-by-call basis and can be paid locally at staffed harbours.

If unable to make a payment at any location please contact CalMac Harbour Operations on 0800 066 5000 or +44 1475 650397 (International callers), or by emailing harbour.operations@calmac.co.uk

A range of season tickets are also available to purchase for both registered fishing and pleasure vessels.

Passes offered include a berthing only annual pass for fishing vessels, or a range of composite season tickets, for fishing, local small commercial or pleasure vessels, which include berthing, passenger/crew dues, fish landing dues and water dues.

Following submission of evidence of vessel insurance and receipt of payment, a credit card sized ticket will be issued by post, with the vessel name and details, ticket type and validity period.  You will be asked to display this on arrival at CMAL facility.

Tickets are for named vessels, and are not interchangeable.

Customers will receive all communications in respect of routine collection of CMAL harbour charges from CalMac Ferries Ltd.