A Trust Port is an independent body, governed by a specific Act or Acts of Parliament.

In the UK, there are private ports, trust ports and municipal authority ports. We are a Trust Port. We have no shareholders or owners. We do not pay dividends to third parties; neither do we receive direct budgetary support from government.

Find out more about how we are governed.

Find out more about trust ports.

We were brought into existence by The Milford Haven Conservancy Act 1958. The following Acts and Harbour Revision Orders form our constitution. Together, they define what we may or may not do, and how we must govern ourselves in terms of appointing a Board and conducting our affairs. The Acts confer certain powers on the Port within the defined port limits, for example in relation to setting the rules for navigation, the power for directing vessels and powers of compulsory acquisition. It also confers obligations, such as the obligation to maintain, improve, protect and regulate navigation, and rights, such as the right to levy charges.

Our Acts:

• Milford Haven Conservancy Act 1958
• Milford Haven Conservancy Act 1983
• Milford Haven Port Authority Act 1986
• Milford Haven Port Authority Harbour Revision Order 2000
• Milford Haven Port Authority Act 2002
• Milford Haven Port Authority Harbour Revision Order 2012

In addition to these Acts and Orders, The Milford Docks Company as a subsidiary company of the Port is governed by The Milford Docks Act 1874 (as amended) which sets out its statutory powers and duties.

Byelaws on the Milford Haven Waterway.

In short, yes. Trust Ports are subject to the Ports Good Governance Guidance, issued by the Department for Transport. While this guidance has no legal force, it does authoritatively set out principles of openness, accountability and fitness for purpose in managing harbours in the broad public interest. It outlines general guidance to all Statutory Harbour Authorities as well as guidance specifically related to trust ports and ports owned by Local Authorities, addressing corporate governance, stakeholder engagement, provision of information, safety and a number of other topics.

Our primary focus is to comply with our Acts as the fundamental legal requirement. Then, as far as reasonably practicable and relevant to the particular circumstances of Milford Haven, we operate in accordance with the guidance set out in the Ports Good Governance Guide.

Discover: Ports Good Governance Guidance

We have a wide range of stakeholders. The most obvious are the communities based on and around the Milford Haven Waterway and the businesses that rely on us for trade. Sometimes that’s direct trade, but it’s also indirect and can be from businesses well beyond the Waterway. Stakeholders also include regulatory bodies, Welsh and UK Governments and local councils. Our stakeholders can sometimes be less obvious, such as future generations and wildlife, to ensure the decisions we make have a positive impact on them.

In accordance with its 1983 Act, the Port has established a Port Advisory Committee that meets twice a year with representatives from groups of major stakeholders. These meetings provide a forum for confidential discussion and interaction between the Port and these stakeholders.

We are both depending on the context.

We started life as the Milford Haven Conservancy Board in 1958, changing to the Milford Haven Port Authority in 1987. The Milford Haven Port Authority remains our legally registered name, but we trade as the Port of Milford Haven.

No. We do not have owners or shareholders as we were established by an Act of Parliament. Therefore the Port’s Acts behave like a Memorandum and Articles of Association of a conventional trading company, specifying what we may or may not do, and how we govern ourselves in terms of appointing our Board and conducting our affairs.