Guernsey Ports proposes increased mooring fees

Guernsey Ports said a consultation on proposals for next year's charges ends on 9 October

Guernsey Ports has proposed to increase its mooring fees to "reflect the expected demands over the next five years".

The Guernsey Boat Owners Association (GBOA) said it had renewed its challenge to mooring fees increases.

The fees were raised between 12% and 22% above inflation for most boat owners this year, the association said.

The GBOA said under the proposals boat owners would pay 45% to 60% more by 2026 for facilities the port "did not have".

Guernsey Ports said its consultation on the proposed new charges ends on 9 October, and a decision will be finalised before the end of the month.

"The Ports Capital Programme has recently been updated to reflect the expected demands over the next five years, 2025 to 2029 inclusive," Guernsey Ports said.

"These capital investments strongly impact the need for improved financial returns to fund them.

"This latest update has identified 90 capital investments totalling £40m across both ports."

The GBOA said in response: "We appreciate that the revenue reserves are empty but we are fed up with being labelled a drain on the public purse.

'Hefty increases'

"For many years any rises have been in line with the Guernsey retail price index (GRPI) until this year.

It said this year there were "hefty increases" ranging from 20% to 45% depending on boat size.

It said for 2025 there would be a further increase of GRPI of plus 3% and a "whopping rise" of between 11.9% and 35.7% forecast for 2026.

It added the 2014 increases in mooring fees "hit many of these owners" and has affected the incomes of the marine traders as people have "cut back on expenditure on their vessels".