Business as Usual at Whitehaven Marina
The Whitehaven Harbour Commissioners and Whitehaven Marina are pleased to announce that the Sea Lock reopened on Tuesday 9th February and the inner harbour and Marina are fully operational again.
The Sea Lock has been closed since 20th January in order to carry out major maintenance of the gates and associated equipment. A specialist team of contractors worked alongside marina staff to complete an extensive overhaul of the Sea Lock, which included: -
- The complete drain down of the lock barrel to provide access to the lock gates.
- New thrust bearings have been fitted to the outer lock gates, facilitating smoother operation
- Installation of new gate seals on the outer gate
- Upgrading of the lock operating system software to introduce new safety features
- Overhaul of all hydraulic equipment that opens and closes the gates
- The pontoons on either side of the lock have been re-decked in hardwood timber, reflecting the quality of Whitehaven’s marina
- Over 18 tons of mussels have been scraped off the lock walls and gates by hand
- Additional anodes fitted to the outer gates to prevent corrosion of the steel structures
As the lock was re-flooded on Tuesday evening (9th February), Mark Bowden, Whitehaven Operations Director commented:
“We have completed a major overhaul of the sea lock to ensure the gates operate safely and reliably throughout the next 12 months. The maintenance programme was important not only for the boat traffic in and out of the marina, but also for the Whitehaven community, since the sea lock is part of the flood defence system for the town.
“Along with the specialist contractor, the marina staff have worked incredibly hard over the last 3 weeks to complete the job list and now we’re all looking forward to a busy boating season, welcoming both new and regular visitors back to Whitehaven Marina.
“We opened the gates at 2030 hours on Tuesday evening and within 10 minutes, three commercial vessels arrived seeking the shelter and facilities of Whitehaven Harbour. It was great to welcome them back after a very busy two week shutdown period.”
The Whitehaven Harbour Commissioners funded these works for the benefit of all who use the harbour, which includes the fishing fleet and commercial vessels, as well as leisure boats. The work was project managed by Marina Projects, who have considerable experience in this field.

Over 18 tons of mussels were scraped off the lock walls and gates by hand
