Following the success of our first install of the Mayflower Landing Pontoon in 2024 – we are delighted to have delivered a second phase for the Cattewater Harbour team.
| Client | Cattewater Harbour Commissioners |
| Date | March 2026 |
| Where | Barbican Landing Stage, Plymouth, Devon |
Working closely with the Cattewater Harbour team on behalf of the local fishing fleet we were tasked to design and deliver a commercial pontoon completely fit for purpose, for now and into the future.
The outcome was a bespoke 35m long, 5m wide heavy duty steel construction pontoon with a 1.1m high freeboard to allow safe level access. The pontoon is finished with our GRC (Glass Reinforced Concrete) deck boards for a long-term, durable finish – perfect to meet the operational and environmental demands of the site.
Ensuring the appropriate protection for a wide range of potential users, the pontoon is finished with a 200mm rubber “D” fender to handle the higher berthing loads. In addition, due to the high freeboard of the pontoon, a half height, hardwood timber fender was fitted 400mm above the water level for lower vessels and protection to the pontoon.
We also supplied and installed a full range of operational equipment including mooring bollards, ladders, handrails and lifesaving equipment, creating a flexible facility that can support a wide range of commercial users.
The new landing stage gives the local fishing fleet a reliable mooring point outside the lock gates while increasing capacity at one of the busiest walk-ashore locations on the Plymouth Barbican.
Local fisherman Brian Tapper says: “It will make life much easier for skippers and crews. With fuel prices so high, it’s a cost saving while reducing our emissions too.”
Funding support for the project was provided by the Marine Management Organisation, helping deliver long-term benefits for Plymouth’s local fishing and commercial fleet.
Charles Weston-Baker, Chair of the Cattewater Harbour Commissioners Board, comments: “For over 150 years Cattewater has worked hard to support its stakeholders and invest in projects that help support them. I am delighted that, following the success of the first extension to support charter vessels and tripping boats, this new extension provides our commercial fleet with somewhere to tie up when they are waiting for the lock gates or to go to sea.”
“By creating dedicated, safe and efficient berthing for the inshore fleet, Cattewater Harbour Commissioners are helping support the long-term sustainability and resilience of local fishing businesses,” adds Paul Errington, Acting Director of Finance and Resources at the MMO.
This facility was the success of a great team effort from all involved thanks to the collaboration between P&D Environmental, TMS and the Cattewater Harbour team.
Quotes sourced from Fishing News story on 17 April 2026.
