Marine Unit
Stolen Boats
Project Kraken
The Solent Portal area
Within this area there are 286 miles of navigable coastline.
Tens of thousands of leisure craft are moored on the Solent with a further 25,000 craft regular users. The combined value of Moored craft alone is measured in £ billions.
The Solent is the top Sailing venue in the UK hosting events such as Cowes week, Fastnet race, Global challenge round the world, The Tall ships race, as well as International Dinghy racing events.
Other major waterbourne events include The International Festival of the Sea and the Countries primary International Boat show.
The Solent’s commercial and military interests include the UK’s largest cruise terminal, the largest oil and petrochemical terminal, the second busiest ferry terminal, third largest container terminal, the UK’s primary military logistics port & the home of the Royal Navy.
It is the busiest waterway in Europe & one of the busiest in the world with around one million commercial and Naval shipping movements per year and in excess of 10 million pleasure craft movements per year.
The Role of the Marine Unit
The unit provides a specialist resource to the Constabulary, as well as providing a service to the boating a community and the Hampshire public as a whole. The Unit’s role includes: 
• Counter Terrorism patrols
• The reduction and detection of marine crime
• Investigation of marine incidents and fatalities
• Policing of large events
• Promotion of water safety
• Providing a specialist interface with other agencies such as UK Border Agency, Coastguard, Harbour Authorities and county and local councils
• The Unit also has a responsibility in countering serious and organised crime and preventing child abduction. There are joint working agreements in place with UKBA ( United Kingdom Border Agency) to enforce border controls.
• Providing a Specialist Marine Resource for officers of the Hampshire Constabulary
The Unit Today
The unit consists of one Sergeant and nine PCs, policing with one rigid inflatable and three semi
displacement launches:
- Police Launch Lord Ashburton, based in Cowes Harbour
- Police Launch Sir James Scott, based in Hamble
- Police Launch Earl Mountbatten of Burma, based in Hamble
The rigid inflatable Mariner 5 is based at Hamble for use in specialist operations.
Contact Us
Should you need to contact the Marine Unit, require advice or have information on Marine crime activity please call 0845 0454545 or email marine@hampshire.pnn.police.uk
In emergencies always call 999
