Terms of Reference

Aim

To continuously improve the marine safety and efficiency of the harbour and its environs for the benefit of all users.

Background

The Oban Bay Management Group has been providing a joint approach to improving navigational safety at Oban since 2007. The group consists of Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL), Argyll & Bute Council (A&BC) and Northern Lighthouse Board (NLB), it is supported by CalMac Ferries Ltd (CFL). The Chair of the Oban Stakeholder Group was invited onto the group in 2018 and the Chair of the Oban Community Harbour Development Association in 2019.

The OBMG has conducted 3 navigation risk assessments in in 2014, 2016 and 2019 and taken the lead in updating the Oban Bay Code of Practice which defines best practice to all mariners when operating within Oban Bay. The group is now in the process of contributing to the creation of wider Statutory Harbour Area for the whole of Oban Bay to ensure the risk areas highlighted in the latest navigation risk assessments can be effectively acted upon in a timely manner.  

The OBMG has recommended a Statutory Harbour Area covers the whole of Oban Bay to ensure the safety recommendations made in the navigation risk assessments can be implemented.

Objectives

• To work in a collaborative, consensus based partnership towards the agreed aim.
• Hold regular meetings of Group Partners with input from other operational users as required.
• Review recorded marine incidents and act on outcomes.
• Review and update Navigation Risk Assessment and implement any mitigating measures identified
• Review and update the Code of Practice for Oban Bay, North Entrance and the Sounds of Kerrera and update as necessary.
• Contribute towards the creation of the annual Oban Bay leisure guide.
• Consider, evaluate and make recommendations to group partners with respect to the development proposals within Oban Harbour for the benefit of the community and its stakeholders.
• Engage with local groups, organisations and associations to realise opportunities as they arise and to evaluate fit with the Harbour Management.
• Provide and manage a forum that allows for engagement and interaction with all harbour users and facilitates communications between the different groups.
• To support the implementation of the most effective Statutory Harbour Area solution as agreed by the OBMG that provides the appropriate legal framework to manage the marine activity.

Accountability

• The meetings will be organised and recorded by the Oban Bay Harbour Manager
• An appointed Chair will chair the meetings and be responsible to ensure the TOR are delivered.

Review

• The performance, functionality and terms of reference of the OBMG will be reviewed annually.
• The position of the Chair will be reviewed annually and will be formally proposed and seconded. This will be recorded.
• The continuing need for the OBMG will be reviewed at the time of the creation of a Statutory Harbour Authority covering the whole of Oban Bay

 Working Methods

• The Group has no powers or statutory role.
• Meetings will be held approximately every 2 months
• Agenda and papers will be distributed 7 days in advance of the meeting
• Minutes / actions to be recorded and distributed to the OBMG members within 10 days, with a view to be finalised within 20 days and published on the website within 30 days
• There will be an agreed standing agenda with additional items being added on a needs basis
• Other parties may be invited to attend meetings as and when appropriate
• Decisions are based on consensus.
• Where a consensus does not exist a majority and minority opinion may be recorded.
• The chair’s role has no casting vote.

The Oban Bay Management Group has been providing a joint approach to improving navigational safety at Oban since 2007. The group consists of Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL), Argyll & Bute Council (A&BC) and Northern Lighthouse Board (NLB), it is supported by CalMac Ferries Ltd (CFL). The group regularly consults with stakeholders from the Oban community in all matters.

The OBMG has conducted 3 navigation risk assessments in the last 5 years and taken the lead in updating the Oban Bay Code of Practice which defines best practice to all mariners when operating within Oban Bay. The group is now in the process of creating a wider statutory harbour area for the whole of Oban Bay to ensure the risk areas highlighted in the latest navigation risk assessments can be effectively acted upon in a timely manner.   

Oban Harbour currently consists of 2 statutory harbour authorities. CMAL who operate Railway Pier and South Pier. A&BC who operate North Pier. The OBMG has recommended that one of these harbours is extended to cover the whole of Oban Bay to ensure the safety recommendations made in the navigation risk assessments can be implement in a timely manner. The CMAL board have decided to apply for a harbour revision order to extend the CMAL statutory harbour area. The A&BC Harbour Board approved the progression of the option for CMAL to extend their Statutory Harbour Area on the basis that further investigation is carried out regarding the protection of the Council’s interests.  The application for the harbour revision order is currently in the informal consultation stage and progressing in accordance with the Transport Scotland process.

Phil Day, NLB, Chair of the OBMG

Director of Operations Northern Lighthouse Board responsible for all Lighthouse and Ship Operations as well as Navigation requirements.  A Master Mariner he spent 18 years in the Merchant Navy rising to the rank of Captain before working as Marine Team Leader at Hound Point Oil Terminal  and joining NLB in 2007. 

 

Jim Smith, Argyll and Bute Council

Head of Roads and Infrastructure Services 

 

Ewen MacKerchar, NLB

Ewen Mackerchar joined the Northern Lighthouse Board in 2010 as Marine Operations manager. In 2012 this role also took on the management of the Oban support base. Ewen during his career has worked at sea in the fishing industry and Merchant Navy as a Deck Officer latterly working in Aberdeen for Chevron as part of their ship logistics team. 

Group Partners are represented by:- 

Ramsay Muirhead, CMAL, Director of Port Infrastructure & Planning

Ramsay was appointed Director of Port Infrastructure & Planning in October 2019 and joined the OBMG at that time. He has over 25 years’ experience in a broad range of engineering disciplines and joined CMAL in 2009 as a Civil Engineer. In 2012, he took up the role of Head of Civil Engineering, responsible for overseeing the delivery of all CMAL harbour maintenance and infrastructure projects.

 

David McHardie, CMAL Harbour Master

After a 30-year police career, much of which was served in the underwater search and marine units, David joined Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd as harbour master in January 2012.

While retaining sole responsibility for harbour conservancy matters the CMAL harbour master does not have direct responsibility or control over management of day-to-day harbour operations as this is contracted to a CalMac Ferries Ltd under a Harbour Operating Agreement (HOA). CalMac’s port staff are delegated the harbour master’s powers of direction to manage vessel movements in accordance with the harbour authority’s statutory powers.

The harbour master maintains a general overview of CMAL harbours and of the performance of CalMac’s port marine operations procedures to ensure they achieve compliance with the Port Marine Safety Code and the HOA.

Michael Blacklaw, CalMac Harbours, Regional Harbour Manager

Michael joined CalMac Ferries Ltd in 2021, he previously attended the Nautical College in Glasgow working towards Officer of the Watch completing deep sea voyages across the Atlantic and round South America before moving to the North Sea to work on standby and supply vessels. He then left this position to work in the sail training industry. Michael joined CalMac Ferries Ltd as a Regional Harbour Manager offering marine support to colleagues across the network.

Ross Wilson, Chair of Oban Community Harbour Development Association.

Phil Hamerton, Oban Bay Stakeholder Group representative.

Scott Reid, A&BC Marine Operations Manager

Vickie McKenzie, A&BC Oban Harbour Master

Vicki was appointed Oban Harbourmaster for Argyll & Bute Council in 2011 having worked as Assistant Harbourmaster at Forth Ports.  Prior to that she spent many years as skipper on sail training vessels predominately around the west coast of Scotland.