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HARBOURMASTER Paul Britton F
OLLOWING a successful career sailing the world on cruise ships, Paul Britton has returned to the river which kick-started his maritime
ambitions. The new man in charge of the Dart Harbour and
Navigation Authority grins from ear to ear as he looks out of his office with its sweeping views of the River Dart. “It’s got to be one of the top 10 offices in the country,” he beams. Just two weeks into the job, the 39-year-old has
already been out and about meeting as many people on the river as possible and getting to know the management team behind the Trust Port. “I’m really enjoying it so far. There are lots of things to do. My main focus for the first few weeks has been meeting people; getting out and chatting to the various different stakeholders and community groups. “And, obviously, having collective
parents who retired to the town from Sussex. The family had enjoyed numerous holidays here and eventually decided to stay for good. “Around that time I decided I wanted to go to
sea,” Paul said. “I was encouraged by the river, I was fascinated by all of the cross river ferries and the boats going up and down the harbour. “I remember making hundreds of lego models of the
Lower Ferry to work out how that works and how the tug spins round.” Paul undertook a cadetship with P&O Cruises via
“It’s a little like coming full circle. This is where the idea of a career at sea first started and now I’ve come home to the river”
conversations with the management team here to really get to know what needs doing, what hasn’t been done in the past and to start progressing stuff.” Paul also intends to get to know the team who manage the day to day running of the port, although there is one crew member who doesn’t need any introductions. “My dad’s retirement job down here is on the river
taxi – it’s a little bit weird being his boss, but we are working that bit out!” Paul laughed. Paul moved to Dartmouth in the late 1990s with his
Warsash Martime Academy near Southampton and worked his way up to navigating officer and then through the ranks to become chief officer – second in command of the ship. He later joined Irish Ferries and then
Thomson Cruises where he became safety officer before taking up a shore- based job managing the company’s marine operations. Five years later Paul secured a job managing the marine and port
operations for Disney Cruise Line. “They were a really fantastic company to work for. “They like doing things properly and were incredibly
customer focused.” Living in Brixham and commuting to London was the
downside to the job and when Covid struck Paul was able to work from home. As the lockdown restrictions eased it became obvious
Paul would be expected to resume his commuting life. “I really didn’t fancy doing that again and, to be
honest, it was time to move on as well. I had been doing
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