Working with us

In managing our mineral assets, we work alongside many different stakeholders.

Overview

Overview

In conjunction with our offshore managing agent (Haskoning UK), we seek to apply our core values - commercialism, integrity and stewardship - in managing our mineral assets and in all our dealings and relationships. We work closely alongside many different stakeholders, including:

our licensees and their trade organisation
the British Marine Aggregate Producers Association (BMAPA)
the regulatory authorities throughout the UK statutory consultees: English Heritage; Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC); Natural England; the Countryside Council for Wales; Environment Agency; CLG; Cefas (Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Studies); and local authorities
the public and other interested parties.

Electronic monitoring system

Electronic monitoring system

We electronically monitor all dredging vessels working on our mineral assets.

We employ a sophisticated Electronic Monitoring System (EMS) to record dredging vessel activities associated with our mineral assets, helping to ensure that all vessels remain within their allocated licensed area.

The EMS, which has been installed on every dredging vessel working on our licensed seabed since 1993, automatically records the date, time and position of all dredging activities. It provides a secure readout of the location of the dredging vessel every 30 seconds when the dredging equipment is deployed. When the equipment is inactive, the EMS delivers a readout at 30 minute intervals to confirm that it is functioning correctly. All licensees are audited each year to confirm the quantities of material landed from each licence and to ensure that the regulator's conditions on tonnage have not been breached.

For more details about EMS please refer to the fact sheet. The published report - using EMS data - on dredging undertaken on our licence areas during the period January to December 2011 is also below:

EMS annual report 2011 PDF (480 KB)

EMS fact sheet PDF (180 KB)

Marine licensing

Marine licensing

The industry is closely regulated by the Government and its agencies.

Marine aggregate dredging has historically been controlled through the dredging permission procedure. However, April 2011 saw the introduction of a unified system of marine licensing.

Under the Marine and Coastal Access Act (2009), applications for the extraction of marine minerals operate under statutory procedures administered by the Marine Management Organisation in England, Environment Agency in Northern Ireland, the Scottish Government and the Welsh Assembly Government, as appropriate.

Each application for a Marine Licence (ML) requires that an environmental impact assessment is undertaken, together with extensive consultation with the fishing industry, relevant government bodies and the general public.

England - Marine Management Organisation (MMO)
Northern Ireland - Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA)
Scotland - Marine Scotland (MS)
Wales - Marine Consents Unit (MCU)

Sampling the seabed

Sampling the seabed

We help companies assess opportunities for dredging by granting consent for prospecting or non-exclusive sampling.

We will grant a general consent to appropriate companies for prospecting or non-exclusive sampling. This covers for example non-intrusive surveys, limited grab sampling and boreholes. Consent is only issued to companies that agree to comply with the codes of practice of the regulators and their statutory consultees.

The procedure relating to the general consent comprises the following stages:

The general consent is valid between the dates 1 January to 31 October inclusive in any year. Applications for a general consent must be made using Crown Estate forms NES1, NES2, NES3 and NES4, which are available through our agents as directed below.

NES1 - notification of a company's intention to undertake non-exclusive sampling. It is recommended that this is no more than four weeks before the commencement of the proposed sampling period.

NES2 - detailing the proposal to undertake non-exclusive sampling.

NES3 - if we issue a letter of non-objection to the proposed sampling, then in undertaking any sampling the company will abide by our general conditions for non-exclusive sampling for the sampling period. In addition the company shall abide by the then relevant codes of practice and any other conditions notified by us.

NES4 - providing there are no objections to the proposed sampling, a letter of non-objection is issued.

For copies of forms NES1-4 as well as additional details relating to the non-exclusive sampling process, please contact our offshore agent.

John Bingham
Haskoning UK Ltd
Burns House
Harlands Road
Haywards Heath
Sussex RH16 1PG
telephone 01444 458 551

Challenges: munitions

Dredging challenges – munitions

We supported the updating of a guidance note on how to deal with munitions discovered during marine aggregate dredging.

Munitions may be found on the seabed around the UK as a result of warfare, training and disposal. These may present a hazard during dredging and at the wharf. Changes to existing marine aggregate dredging zones and new licensed areas can result in munitions being raised by a dredger and discharged amongst the marine sand and gravel at a wharf.

With our support, the industry bodies (Quarry Products Association & British Marine Aggregates Producers Association) have prepared a guidance note in consultation with the supporting authorities:

to outline the potential risks and safety measures that need to be considered
to provide practical advice to marine aggregate operators on the measures to be taken to reduce the risk of dredging munitions
to describe the procedures to be followed when suspected munitions are encountered - either on the dredger itself or at the wharf while receiving or processing marine dredged aggregate

Marine aggregate operators should consider the potential risks and safety measures of encounters with munitions. They need to take action to ensure that the risks to their employees and others are reduced to the lowest level that is reasonably practicable.

Against this background, the advice in this document provides practical guidance to operators of the options available to minimise the occurrence of munitions in marine dredged aggregate, and the steps needed to manage any encounters that may take place.

Please follow the link to download the brochure:

Dealing with munitions in marine sediments PDF (7.6 MB)

Tender rounds

Tender rounds

Periodically, we invite expressions of interest for the development of aggregate extraction areas.

The 2012 marine aggregate extraction tender round

The expressions period for the 2012 tender round has now closed.

Those who have expressed an interest will be invited to bid for rights to prospect the seabed in all regions under our mineral management and to obtain an option for a production agreement to extract marine aggregate (subject to the terms of a marine licence).

General information

On the basis of the responses to the expressions of interest, we decide whether or not to hold a tender.

Call for applications for the tender documents is advertised in late spring and the closing date for bids is usually in late autumn. The results of the tender are known at the beginning of the following year.

We assess the tender applications on a number of factors and successful bidders are granted a prospecting licence to undertake further investigations of the potential sites, in conjunction with a time limited option to obtain a marine licence from the regulator. Please note that we will not issue a production agreement for aggregate extraction unless a marine licence has been obtained.