Public Presentations: CHC gave a number of presentations to local clubs, associations and other organisations, to explain the
role and work of the Commission, and to provide updates and gather stakeholder feedback on priority projects. These included a
presentation by Capt. Stuart McIntosh in March 2017 to the Royal Southampton Yacht Club on the inside story of being a Solent
Harbour Master, and a dredging stakeholders’ forum at Cowes Harbour Office held in early May 2017.
Cowes Harbour Handbook: The Cowes Harbour Handbook (previously Cowes Port Handbook) is CHC’s official, definitive guide to
the harbour, River Medina, Cowes and East Cowes, for leisure sailors and boaters, visitors, local residents and commercial harbour
users. The 2017-2018 edition includes a “What’s new in Cowes” section, plus expanded information on High Street and marine
businesses. The increasingly popular digital version also incorporates over 500 external links to advertisers, local businesses and for
further information: cowesharbourcommission.co.uk/cowes_harbour_handbook
Stakeholder Consultation
CHC facilitates regular consultation and two-way information flow through the Harbour Advisory Committee, public meetings, and
membership of relevant Solent marine/local organisations and forums. CHC continues to encourage and support wider stakeholder
engagement with the Advisory Committee.
Advisory Committee: The Cowes Harbour Advisory Committee (CHAC) is a key part of good governance, enabling stakeholders
to bring issues to the attention of the Commission, and assisting the flow of information from CHC back to the Cowes, East Cowes
and River Medina stakeholder groups. Over the past year, the Advisory Committee has continued its valuable work on behalf of
stakeholders, aiming to provide an effective two-way communication mechanism between CHC and its key stakeholders:
cowesharbourcommission.co.uk/advisory_committee
IT & Communications Systems
CHC has a policy to invest in the development and promotion of the Commission’s website and social media channels, IT and
communications systems.
Cowesharbourcommission.co.uk: The CHC website plays a key role in assisting the Commission with its ongoing aim of improving
communications with stakeholders and the dissemination of information on CHC’s statutory, commercial, leisure, marketing, and
community related activities. Work is currently under way on a project to upgrade the CHC website into a fully mobile responsive site
designed for desktop, tablet and smart phone.
Social media: CHC continues to use its social media channels to help raise the profile of Cowes Harbour and to deliver up-to-the-
minute news and information to harbour users and stakeholders. In addition, both Kingston Marine Services and Shepards Wharf
Marina have Facebook and Twitter channels for communicating with customers and for marketing purposes.
facebook.com/CowesHarbourCommission twitter.com/cowesharbour
facebook.com/ShepardsWharfMarina twitter.com/ShepardsWharf
facebook.com/KingstonMarineServices twitter.com/KingstonWharf
Partnership Promotion & Destination Cowes
Over the past year, CHC has continued partnership working with the aim of effectively promoting Cowes Harbour, the River Medina and
it s marine services and facilities for the long-term benefit of the harbour and its stakeholders.
Destination Cowes: As reported in the ‘Stakeholder Benefits’ section, CHC is actively involved in the new Destination Cowes
partnership, set up to promote Cowes as the ‘Maritime Gateway to the Isle of Wight’ and the ‘World’s Most Famous Sailing Destination’:
visitisleofwight.co.uk/cowes
CHC is working with partners to assist in the delivery of the Destination Cowes objectives for increasing the number of events, cruise
ship visits and therefore visitors to Cowes.
Cruise ship visits to Cowes: CHC will be assisting with the promotion of Cowes as a destination port-of-call and stopover for
European and UK cruise itineraries, targeting the small and medium-sized cruise liners, especially the luxury cruise market. The
aim is also to increase the benefit to Cowes from cruise ship passengers through the offer of Cowes town and yachting interest
tours: cowesharbourcommission.co.uk/cruise
Events at Cowes: CHC will also be working with Destination Cowes, other key stakeholders and marine organisations to help
boost the number of new events and visitors coming to Cowes, at the same time as preserving and developing existing events.
Cowes.co.uk: CHC’s second registered domain cowes.co.uk is now utilised to direct web visitors to the new Destination Cowes site:
visitisleofwight.co.uk/cowes
Captain Stuart McIntosh
Harbour Master / Chief Executive
May 2017
Annual Report 2016 - 2017
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