Harbour and Notices to Mariners

The National Trust for Scotland is the Statutory Harbour Authority for Canna Harbour and is responsible for making sure the harbour is managed within the requirements of the Harbours Act 1964 and the Port Marine Safety Code.

The harbour operates all year round, providing a vital link for the island community and visitors with the mainland.

There is a regular ferry service from Mallaig provided by Caledonian MacBrayne (MV Loch Nevis), which operates 6 times per week between March and October, and 3 times per week in the winter months. Tickets can be booked online.

In addition to the ferry service, there are other commercial and leisure vessels using the harbour facilities, eg cruise ships, private yachts, RIBs and fishing vessels. The community manages the 10 moorings within the harbour, which can be paid for in the community shop.

The harbour is managed by a Pier Manager and staff.

Isle of Canna – Notice to Mariners Number 1 2024

Information for Vessels and Users of Canna Harbour

All mariners and Harbour Users are advised to adhere to the following:

Slipway users

• Do not leave tenders moored to the slipway. Tenders should be brought ashore and space for storage is available at the top of the slipway.
• The slipway must not be used while the Calmac ferry is berthing. This includes tenders approaching to land and other vessels eg kayaks.
  
  

Facilities

• There is currently no water tap available or the facility for the purchase of fuel at Canna Harbour.
• There are 3 skips (general waste; cardboard; plastic recycling and glass) on Canna Pier. These are bright yellow and located at the far end past the HM Office. These are not open skips; please use doors and apertures on the sides.

Moorings

• The moorings are owned by the Isle of Canna Community Development Trust and are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Please pay for your mooring in the Canna Community Shop.
• Moorings 1–5 (innermost in bay) are two x 1-ton concrete blocks chained together on the seabed. Moorings 6–10 (outermost in bay) are one x 2-ton concrete blocks on the seabed. Moorings are suitable for vessels up to 12 tons. All moorings are used at skipper’s risk.
• The moorings closest to Sanday are sometimes exposed to strong, easterly winds. Vessels should pay attention to this when using them or anchoring.

Payments

• Moorings are £20 per night; cash and card payments are available.
  

Anchor

• No anchoring within 100m of the slipway or pier.
• Canna Harbour has a large amount of kelp growing on the seabed. Mariners should be aware whilst anchoring in the bay.

For further information and harbour-related queries, please contact cannaharbour@nts.org.uk

Tel: 01687 310733 (manned during the summer months from 09.00–17.00)

Anyone needing to contact the Pier should use VHF radio channel 14.

Maps and bathymetric charts are available in the Pier waiting room.

Marine staff will be available throughout the summer season from April to September. During the winter months, please contact the email above.

National Trust for Scotland
November 2024

Biosecurity

Unlike the other islands in the Small Isles, Canna is completely rat-free following a two-year project in 2016 to eradicate them. In the past, rats have devastated Canna’s birdlife and we do not want this to happen again. If you see any signs of rodent activity, please report this to Trust staff as soon as possible.

We ask all users of the harbour, both vessels and visitors, to remain vigilant and to be aware that we have bait stations located around the island to check for unwanted vermin.

Please ensure that all rubbish, especially food waste, is disposed of in the skips at the pier.

Traffic Management Plan

The purpose of the Traffic Management Plan (TMP) is to avoid accidents and injuries to people and vehicles.

The UK’s Highway Code applies on Canna and normal rules should be followed. In the absence of the Harbourmaster, the Pier Manager has day-to-day harbourmaster powers and responsibilities.

This TMP aims to outline traffic rules for all personnel (employees, contractors, ships’ crew, the Canna community and other visitors). The plan considers the risks associated with the identified hazards including but not limited to:

• Segregation of pedestrians from vehicles
• Trailers and associated loads
• Lighting, visibility and speed limits
• Parking areas

The TMP will be reviewed by the Marine Safety Management Team on an annual basis or as required (eg a significant change to road layout or significant incident). The MSM team consists of the Operations Manager, Harbourmaster and Pier Manager.

Responsibilities

Harbourmaster

• Conduct a risk assessment on the hazards of traffic movement within the site and implement control measures.
• Develop a TMP for the site.
• Communicate the TMP to employees, contractors, visitors and the Community.
• Provide support and guidance to all personnel conducting operational activities on the Canna Pier.
• Ensure that any hazards, unsafe acts or incidents involving traffic movements are reported, and corrective actions are implemented.
• Ensure that the TMP is reviewed on a regular basis.

Vehicle operators

• Must not be under the influence of drugs or alcohol whilst operating vehicles or plant.
• Ensure the vehicle they are operating is safe to operate and suitable for the task.
• Ensure the appropriate licences are held for the operation of the mobile plant or vehicle.
• Always observe the requirements of this TMP.
• Be aware of pedestrian interaction whilst operating a vehicle.
• Report any incidents to the harbourmaster.

All contractors working on the harbour pier

• Must ensure they have completed the Canna Pier site induction prior to starting works at the Pier.
• Must wear PPE if entering an operational area.
• Confine their movements to designated walkways where practicable.
• Remain constantly vigilant and stop and look for traffic around working areas, in particular shed doorways, crossing vehicle routes, blind corners and in congested areas.
• Give way to traffic and ensure vehicle operators have seen you before approaching vehicles or moving in their vicinity.

Visitors passing through Canna Harbour Pier

• Remain constantly vigilant and stop and look for traffic around working areas, in particular shed doorways, crossing vehicle routes, blind corners and in congested areas.

Traffic management

Site access

• Mobile plant and vehicles enter and exit the site from a vessel or from the path/roadway.
• All vehicles coming ashore enter the island from the slipway and are required to obtain a permit prior to booking the ferry.
• The Harbourmaster will have the right to refuse landing of any vehicle that is deemed in their mind to be unsafe or represents a potential danger to persons or property.

Speed limits

• The maximum speed limit on the Pier is 5 miles per hour.
• All drivers are expected to drive to the conditions and reduce speed accordingly when approaching congested areas.

Vehicle rules whilst on the Pier

• Warehouses – Forklifts/telehandlers/tractors have right of way; general traffic is not permitted inside warehouses except service vehicles with prior permission.
• Light traffic is expected to give heavy machinery room to manoeuvre in close situations.
• Report any incidents.

No-go areas

• Only authorised personnel are permitted in the vicinity of working vessels.
• Vehicles not involved in the cargo transfer process are prohibited alongside vessels.

Parking

• Vehicles should be parked in designated parking areas as marked in the Pier Facility Plan (MSMS-24).
• Contractors must ensure they have designated parking areas for their operations that are marked and signed accordingly. These areas must be in the safest position to help separate personnel from moving plant and machinery. Selected areas must be pre- approved with Canna Harbour.
• It is not permitted to park vehicles or plant alongside the harbour quayside, slipways or on walkways without the express permission of the Canna Harbourmaster.

Pedestrian interaction

Pedestrian interaction with mobile plant/vehicles is minimised as far as practicable through several traffic control measures, including but not limited to:

• Audible tones (reversing alarms) on newer and commercial vehicles
• Speed limits
• Restricted areas
• Fencing, signage, and barriers
• All personnel entering operational areas are required to wear high-visibility clothing.
• All operators onsite are required to ensure their mobile plant, such as forklifts and loaders, are fitted with reversing beepers and flashing roof lights.
• Commercial vehicles with restricted visibility for the driver shall use a banksman when moving.
• The general public and passengers are to use hatched walkways whenever possible.

Signage

Appropriate traffic control signage is displayed throughout the site. All signage requirements are periodically checked during workplace inspections. Any party that damages any signage or other pier infrastructure on site must report it to the Canna Harbourmaster.

Contractors must ensure that adequate signage covering the hazards and requirements of their areas is installed.

Lighting and visibility

Lighting for common access areas has been designed to assist pedestrian and general operational use.

Contractors may need to install lighting to cover specific aspects of their operations. Before installing any extra lighting in/on any Canna pier premises, please contact the Canna Harbourmaster.

Hazard & Incident reporting

Canna Harbour strives to maintain a hazard- and incident-free working environment. All personnel have a duty of care to report hazards and incidents, including near misses. All hazards and incidents are to be reported immediately to the Canna Harbourmaster.

Monitoring compliance to traffic controls

The Harbourmaster will monitor compliance.
Contractors are expected to ensure their employees, contractors and visitors follow the site rules and assist the enforcement of the rules with these parties.

General rules

• Canna Pier is a working harbour and could have a number of potentially hazardous situations due to the size and number of machines on site. In many cases, visibility is restricted by carrying cargo and also by stored cargo. All harbour users driving or working on site must be aware of these issues and proceed with caution around such areas.
• All lifting vehicles must operate within safe working load limits, and loads must be secure.
• Loads should never be lifted over the top of other personnel, and vehicles should not drive under suspended loads.
• Ensure that all equipment and plant used for cargo handling is removed from common user areas immediately after use, to allow other port users unobstructed access to, and use of, operational areas.
• Ensure that equipment and plant is maintained in a safe operating condition and removed from the quayside operating area when conducting maintenance work.
• Ensure portable amenities used on the pier are situated in such a position to allow clear and unobstructed movement of mobile plant along the quayside.
• Keep a minimum of 15 metres back from working linesmen.
• Lifting operations or other high-risk activities are required to use road cones to separate their area of operations from traffic and pedestrians.
• Operators should perform pre-start checks for the mobile plant or vehicle they are operating.
• It is not permitted to carry passengers on machinery such as forklifts/loaders unless the machines are fitted with a secondary seat.
• Operators are required to wear appropriate PPE.
• Vehicles/equipment are not to be situated within 2.5 metres of the quay edge without permission.
• Maintenance work must have a permit to work issued by the Harbourmaster.

Last reviewed: 15 March 2024