UK Act of Parliament
1964
United Kingdom
Harbours Act 1964
At a glance
Enforced by
What's here
12 compliance obligations · 4 statutory instruments
Penalty landscape
2 of 12 obligations carry a fine up to £2,500. 2 carry different penalties and 8 have no criminal penalty — flagged in the list below.
Who this Act binds
Business-side actors with duties under this Act, ranked by how often they appear.
- Any Person 8
- Director or Officer 1
- Statutory Undertaker 1
Plus 2 non-business duties on Crown ministers, regulators, local authorities or tribunals — shown collapsed under each section below.
Other Acts binding the same actors
For each actor bound by this Act, the other UK Acts that bind them most often. Useful for understanding the full compliance landscape facing each role.
Any Person also bound by 770 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- Human Medicines Regulations 2012 2012 110 duties
- Merchant Shipping Act 1995 1995 97 duties
- Road Traffic Act 1988 1988 95 duties
- Air Navigation Order 2016 2016 86 duties
- Licensing Act 2003 2003 78 duties
Directors and Officers also bound by 229 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- Insolvency (England and Wales) Rules 2016 2016 75 duties
- Companies Act 2006 2006 63 duties
- Insolvency Act 1986 1986 46 duties
- CCBSA 2014 2014 21 duties
- Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 2023 18 duties
Statutory Undertakers also bound by 22 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- Water and Sewerage Services (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 2006 43 duties
- Water Industry Act 1991 1991 38 duties
- The Street Works (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 1995 13 duties
- The Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 2000 2000 12 duties
- New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 1991 11 duties
What this Act requires
Sections that create concrete duties on businesses or carry penalties. Procedural and definitional sections are folded into the “Browse other sections” expander at the bottom of each group. Click any section title to read the source text on legislation.gov.uk.
Schedules
Browse 3 other Schedules — structural / supplementary
Ministers’ powers, on application of intending undertakers, or others, to make orders conferring powers for improvement, construction, &c., of harbours.
- Apply for a harbour empowerment order when you need extra powers Any Person
Procedure for making harbour revision and empowerment orders, and substitution thereof, in general, for provisional orders.
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Secretary of State must ensure compensation and access rights in Harbour Orders Crown / Minister / Government department
Certain charges of certain harbour authorities to be reasonable.
- Ensure harbour charges are reasonable Any Person
Right of objection to ship, passenger and goods dues.
Fine up to £2,500- Fail to comply with a direction on harbour dues Any Person
Procedure
- Follow statutory procedures when giving harbour directions Any Person
Enforcement
Fine up to £2,500- Fail to comply with harbour directions Any Person
Power of Council to obtain information and forecasts.
2 years imprisonment- Fail to provide required harbour information or forecasts Any Person
Accounts and reports relating to harbour activities and associated activities.
- Prepare and submit annual harbour accounts and reports Statutory Undertaker
Directions as to performance of delegated functions
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Relevant authorities must publish directions given to delegated persons Crown / Minister / Government department
Environmental duties of harbour authorities.
- Consider environmental and heritage impacts of harbour proposals Any Person
Provisions as to ecclesiastical property.
- Serve documents and pay compensation for Church of England land Any Person
Offences by corporations.
Unlimited fine- Director and officer liability for corporate offences Director or Officer
Browse 55 other sections — procedural / definitional / commencement
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Loans for execution of harbour works, &c.
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Maximum amount of loans and grants under sections 11 and 12, and cesser of certain other powers to give financial assistance.
Ministers’ powers, on application of harbour authorities, or others, to make orders for securing harbour efficiency, &c.
Ministers’ powers to make, of their own motion, orders for limited purposes for securing harbour efficiency, &c.
Ministers’ powers to make orders about port appointments.
Power to make closure order
Content of closure order
Harbour closure orders: property etc
Harbour closure orders: procedure
Harbour closure orders: devolution
Supplemental
Harbour reorganisation schemes.
Compensation for loss of office, &c., in consequence of orders and schemes under foregoing provisions.
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Repeal of provisions limiting discretion of certain harbour authorities as to ship, passenger and goods dues charged by them.
Combined charges.
Repeal of provisions limiting discretion of nationalised transport bodies as to ship, passenger and merchandise dues chargeable at certain harbours owned or managed by them.
Repeal of provisions limiting discretion of local lighthouse authorities as to local light dues.
Duty of harbour and local lighthouse authorities to make available for inspection, and to keep for sale, copies of lists of certain charges.
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s.36
Special provisions with respect to certain aviation charges.
Repeal of certain enactments relating to harbour charges.
Amendments of Acts consequential on sections 26 to 37.
Conditions as to use of harbour services and facilities provided by certain harbour authorities.
Directions
Supplemental
Power to make orders delegating functions
Consent of Welsh Ministers required for certain orders and schemes
Consent of Secretary of State required for certain orders and schemes
Provisions with respect to loans made under this Act by the Minister or the Welsh Ministers.
Limitation of right to challenge harbour revision orders, etc., in legal proceedings.
Penalisation of furnishing false information.
Restriction of disclosure of information.
Provisions as to inquiries and hearings.
Service of documents.
Reckoning of periods.
Modification of Harbours, Piers and Ferries (Scotland) Act 1937.
Application of Act to Crown.
Saving for telegraphic lines.
Orders and regulations.
“Developments of national significance” etc. : special procedure
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Interpretation.
Drainage and river authorities not to be harbour authorities for purposes of this Act if not possessing exceptional powers.
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Power to amend Acts of local application.
Expenses.
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†Short title, extent, repeal and commencement.
Enforcement and responsible bodies
The regulators that administer or enforce this legislation.
Marine Management Organisation
Licenses marine activities in English waters, including construction, dredging, and deposits at sea. Issues marine licences for offshore renewable energy projects below …
Connected legislation
4 statutory instruments
These instruments amend, apply, or refer to this Act. They may not all create direct business obligations.
Secondary legislation (4)
- The Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (Various Harbours) Harbour Revision (Amendment) Order 2018 2018
- The Folkestone Harbour Revision Order (Amendment) Order 2025 2025
- The Harbour Directions (Designation of Harbour Authorities) (Amendment) Order 2016 2016
- The River Humber (Upper Burcom Cooling Works) Order 1994 1994
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Browse legislation
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Regulators
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