Harbourmaster

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Harbour Master’s transport at Poole, Dorset, England

In many countries, a harbourmaster is an official responsible for enforcing the regulations of a particular harbour or port, in order to ensure the safety of navigation, the security of the harbour and the orderly operation of the port facilities.

A harbourmaster may either be a civilian or a commissioned naval officer of any rank. In the United Kingdom, when a Royal Navy officer serves in this capacity at a Naval port, s/he is known as the Queen's (or King's) Harbourmaster, and is entitled to fly a white-bordered Union Jack with a white central disc bearing the initials "QHM" (or "KHM" during the reign of a King) beneath a crown.

An equivalent position in the United States is the Captain of the Port, which is always held by a United States Coast Guard officer.