IoM Holds Harbour Dues

by Amanda Banks, Tax-News.com, London

12 November 2010

The Isle of Man Department of Infrastructure, as part of a comprehensive cost cutting exercise, has announced that it is to support the development of the island's maritime industry by maintaining some fee levels on boat owners despite being required to find efficiencies and increased revenues from its other activities.

There are three categories of Harbour Dues namely: Pleasure Vessels and Houseboats; Merchant Vessels and Fishing Vessels; and Workboats and Construction Barges. To avoid undue impact on the island’s economy the Department has decided not to increase harbour dues for fishing vessels and merchant vessels (which includes harbour dues for passengers, oil, gas, freight, etc).

Minister for Infrastructure, Phil Gawne said: “In holding commercial harbour dues at 2009/10 levels for 2010/11 the Department was conscious of the need to minimize any adverse impact on the island’s economy in a period when recession was a threat. However harbour dues for pleasure vessels are still relatively low and at a time of low inflation the Department felt it appropriate to increase them in order to optimise income.”

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