Portland Port in Dorset has confirmed that a sewage leak from the tug Maiden Castle, which had been discharging into the harbour, has now been contained. Staff at the port were alerted last week via email that the vessel’s sewage containment tank had been releasing waste directly into the harbour and that onboard facilities were unavailable for use.
Bill Reeves, chief executive of Portland Port, said the issue was discovered on 20 November. “It was discovered on 20 November that there was an issue with waste from the Maiden Castle tug being directed into the sea rather than its onboard containment tank,” he explained. “Portland Port takes this matter extremely seriously and action was taken immediately as soon as the issue was identified, with marine staff told to cease the use of the onboard facilities.”
The problem was traced to a fault in the tug’s waste control system, which has since been repaired. An internal investigation has been launched to understand the full circumstances of the incident and prevent a recurrence. Portland Port confirmed that the Maiden Castle is one of three tugs operating at the harbour and is primarily used as a stand-by vessel when other tugs are unavailable. It has a four-person crew and, according to Reeves, “is manned only during operational duties, which have averaged 2.4 hours per week during 2025.”
Portland Port also stated that the two other tugs remain unaffected and that their waste systems are “in good working order.” Staff were reportedly informed that the Maiden Castle’s sewage tank had not been emptied for more than ten years, raising further concern over the potential environmental impact. Reeves emphasised that the port’s current focus is on ensuring the issue is fully resolved and on implementing procedures to prevent a similar problem in the future.
Dorset Council has indicated that it will investigate whether the discharge contributed to Weymouth losing its blue flag status this year. Council leader Nick Ireland, who also serves as cabinet member for climate change and the environment, said: “Weymouth lost this blue flag… and I am wondering now if this is possibly part of the cause. I’ll be asking our officers to write to the port and ask them what’s really behind this and if it is true, and we’ll take it from there.”
The incident has raised questions about long-term maintenance practices aboard the Maiden Castle and the port’s oversight of its vessels. While the discharge has been contained, local authorities and the port continue to assess the potential environmental consequences and the steps required to ensure full compliance with marine waste regulations.
