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Port health charges

The port health charges for 2023/2024 are outlined below. These are reviewed annually and increases are implemented from 1 April each financial year.  

Ship sanitation certificates (inspections)

Plymouth City Council Port Health Authority operates between the core hours of  9am to 5pm Monday to Friday (excluding Bank Holidays). Ship sanitation inspections can be arranged during these hours.  Please ask about availability by calling 01752 398501 or email porthealth@plymouth.gov.uk with a subject line: “Ship Sanitation Request”. If officers are available, the visit can be booked online

Gross tonnage of vessel Charge
Up to 1,000 £125
1,001 to 3,000 £170
3,001 to 10,000 £250
10,001 to 20,000 £325
20,001 to 30,000 £415
Over 30,000 £480
Vessels with the capacity to carry between 50 and 1,000 persons  £480
Vessels with the capacity to carry more than 1,000 persons  £820
Extension of a Ship Sanitation Certificate £95

Extra charges may be added for exceptional costs such as launch hire (at the discretion of the port operator/harbour master), out-of-hours duties and extended or re-inspections of ships due to 'control measures'.

Water sampling onboard vessels

Due to our laboratory's availability, samples can only be taken Monday to Thursday. Sampling outside of this would only be in emergencies and subject to availability.  

Please ask about availability by calling 01752 398501 or email porthealth@plymouth.gov.uk with a subject line “Ship Water Test Request”. If officers are available the test can be booked online

Activity Charge
First sample £152
First sample with Ship sanitation certificate £103 + Ship sanitation cost (table above)
Additional samples - Bacteriological £48
Additional samples - Legionella £48
Additional samples - Chemical Cost determined by lab

Export certificates

Plymouth City Council Port Health Authority can certify Export Health Certification for fishery products and in some circumstances food safety premise endorsements for other products where official certification does not exist.  

Please ask about services offered by using our online form or calling 01752 398501

Activity Charge
Fishery product health certificates £102
Fishery product support attestations £102
Other food safety premises endorsements/certificate of origin £55

Certificate re-issues will be charged at the original fee

Catch certificates - Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU)

Plymouth City Council Port Health Authority uses a per consignment basis for its charges. Where multiple catch certificates are submitted for the same consignment which includes high and low risk country certificates, the higher risk charge will be applied. 

Number of catch certificates High risk charge Low risk charge
1 - 5 £55 £29
6 -10 £84 £48
11 - 20 £99 £60
21+ £113 £74

Imports coming directly from the following flag states are currently defined as low risk: 

  • EEA/EFTA country (Norway, Iceland, Faroe Islands) 
  • Country with a bilateral agreement with the EU for IUU purposes (USA, Canada, New Zealand), for example fish caught by a US fishing vessel and processed in a US approved establishment 

The following imports are currently defined as high risk: 

  • Fish caught by other third country fishing vessel, 
  • Fish from EU/bilateral/EEA/EFTA countries that have been processed in a third country (indirectly imported), e.g. fish caught by a US fishing vessel and processed in a Vietnamese approved establishment. (Fish caught by a vessel registered to an EU/EFTA/bilateral country and subsequently processed in another third country loses its low risk status and is charged at the higher rate.) 

Other charges

Activity Charge
Formal verification/Movement control notice £113
Late notification fee £74
Non-compliance fee £135
Supervising destruction/Re-export fee £135

Contact Port Health

Email: porthealth@plymouth.gov.uk  

Tel: 01752 398501