The report details a number of options including the formation of local authority companies to run the ports commercially with little input from councils and running the harbours on a trust port basis with no council involvement. The option favoured by the government involves the formation of a harbour management committee made up of an equal number of council appointed members and outside members selected in response to advertisements. This allows for the local community's continuing involvement. This option has been successfully adopted at Whitstable, also in Kent, and at Workington in Cumbria. Ramsgate is made up of two council controlled ‘harbours’. The Royal (inner) Harbour is home to the yacht marina and local fishing fleet. It also sees regular visits from small tugs and workboats. The outer Port Ramsgate area, with three ro-ro berths, accommodates the TransEuropa Ferries that operate between Ramsgate and Ostend. Thanet Council took over Port Ramsgate in 1998 when Sally Line Ferries pulled out. It is not clear if the Royal Harbour is to be included in any possible changes and, while purely coincidental in the timing, the news comes during a period of great opportunities for Ramsgate mixed with concern locally about the dredging of the Royal Harbour. A sandbank in the entrance to the Royal Harbour has restricted its width at low tide. In December 2007 the work barge Pontra Maris briefly ran aground while attempting to enter the Royal Harbour while under tow. Dredging has traditionally been carried out by the council owned hopper dredger Ramsgate, with larger suction dredgers contracted to dredge the ferry port area of the harbour when required. Towards the end of 2007 however, the Ramsgate was sold to new owners on the UK's north west coast, the council stating that contracting out the dredging operation was a better option. The opportunities for Ramsgate lie with the potential from the huge windfarm projects currently under way in the Thames Estuary. The council is working hard to make Ramsgate the shore base for the fleet of vessels that will accompany these activities and has plans to develop an area of Port Ramsgate to accommodate the works. Any developments in the running of Ramsgate harbour will without doubt be watched with great interest by the many local stakeholders. By Peter Barker