The Harwich Haven Authority, which is responsible for the waters around five ports on the rivers Stour and Orwell, has been accredited under the latest ISO environmental management standard.

East Anglian Daily Times: A container ship in Harwich Haven, bound for the Port of Felixstowe.A container ship in Harwich Haven, bound for the Port of Felixstowe.

The authority is the first among more than 100 UK “trust ports” – statutory bodies which act on behalf of stakeholders, including commercial ports and local communities – to achieve ISO 14001:2015 certification.

Changes to the revised standard include a focus on proactive initiatives to offer improved protection for the environment amd a greater commitment from leadership.

The Harwich Haven Authority, whose jurisdiction includes the ports of Felixstowe, Harwich International, Harwich Navyard, Ipswich and Mistley, was certified by Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance Limited (LRQA).

Neil Glendinning, the authority’s chief executive, said: “We were really keen to progress to the revised standard because environmental management is core to our strategic planning.

East Anglian Daily Times: Harwich Haven Authority chief executive Neil GlendinningHarwich Haven Authority chief executive Neil Glendinning (Image: Archant)

“We work within a highly regulated industry and achieving ISO14001:2015 supports us to both achieve our objectives and continually improve the way we operate.

“Throughout the certification process we were supported by the LRQA who supplied clear, easy to understand collateral and were always available to answer questions.”

The authority, which also covers a 12 nautical mile stretch of sea leading into the haven area, provides a Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) to mariners, conserves and protect the channels into the harbour and provide pilotage services to vessels using the five commercial ports.