The Solent
Between the mainland and the Isle of Wight, the Solent brings together three ports for a visiting superyacht: Southampton, Portsmouth and Cowes. We look after your call at any of them.
Three ports
Southampton
City-centre berths at Ocean Village and Town Quay, and the yards of the River Itchen at Shamrock Quay and Saxon Wharf.
Portsmouth
Gunwharf Quays just inside the harbour entrance, the Gosport marinas, and movements under the King's Harbour Master.
Cowes
The traditional home of British yacht racing, with berths at Trinity Landing and Cowes Yacht Haven, and the anchorage in Cowes Roads.
Arriving in the Solent
- 01
The approach
From the east by the Nab or from the west by the Needles, reporting to Southampton VTS at the published reporting points on the way to Southampton Water.
- 02
Large ships
A ship over 150m in the Precautionary Area between Cowes and Calshot carries a Moving Prohibited Zone, 1,000m ahead and 100m either side.
- 03
Harbour control
Southampton VTS clears movements of vessels over 20m; in Portsmouth Harbour they move under the King's Harbour Master's direction.
- 04
Tides
Southampton has a double high water and a short ebb that runs faster than the flood, and the Portsmouth entrance cross-tide runs at up to four knots at springs.
No pilotage in the western Solent or the Needles.
Pilotage in the Solent
Each harbour sets its own threshold. The Southampton district's western limit runs from Stansore Point to Egypt Point.
- Southampton
- 61m and over; 20m and over with more than 12 passengers
- Booked 24 hours ahead through ABPnotify; ETA confirmed 6 hours before
- Portsmouth
- 48m and over; 20m and over with more than 12 passengers; a deployed bowsprit counts
- Booked 24 hours ahead; ETA 8 hours before, confirmed on VHF 11 2 hours before
- Cowes
- 48m and over in the inner harbour, 61m and over in the outer; any vessel over 15m beam
- Cowes Harbour Commission directions, 2026
Berths
- Ocean Village
- Southampton
- City centre, no lock; superyacht berths of 25 to 50m with three phase power
- Shamrock Quay
- Southampton
- River Itchen, above the Itchen Bridge; berths of 23 to 70m; 75 tonne hoist
- Saxon Wharf
- Southampton
- River Itchen; 200 tonne hoist; the jetty takes 80m at high water with two tugs
- Gunwharf Quays
- Portsmouth
- Inside the entrance; pontoons of 55, 78 and 71m; 63 and 125 amp three phase
- Haslar
- Portsmouth
- Gosport side, no tidal restriction; over 20m on application
- Albert Johnson Quay
- Portsmouth
- Portsmouth International Port; pleasure craft over 65m
- Trinity Landing
- Cowes
- Fairway side; fresh water and three phase power; booked with HM1 on VHF 69
- Cowes Yacht Haven
- Cowes
- To 48m; 50 tonne hoist
Alongside in the Solent
- Fuel
- No fuel at Ocean Village, Shamrock Quay or Saxon Wharf; fuel berths at Hythe, Port Hamble, Gosport and Cowes, and bunkering at Albert Johnson Quay or by barge or road tanker.
- Lifting
- Saxon Wharf 200 tonnes, Shamrock Quay 75, Trafalgar Shipyard 877 tonnes to 60m, Endeavour Quay 180 tonnes to 40m, Berthon 75 and Cowes Yacht Haven 50. The approach to each is on the shipyards and refit page.
- Aircraft
- Southampton Airport, with Signature Aviation handling, and Solent Airport Daedalus, with helicopter transfers to London and a Border Force Certificate of Agreement for EU and Channel Islands arrivals.
- Trains and the Red Jet
- Southampton Airport Parkway is 69 minutes from London Waterloo and Portsmouth Harbour about an hour and fifty minutes; Cowes is reached from Southampton by Red Jet.
- The racing year
- In 2027 the Admiral's Cup runs from 13 to 28 July, the Rolex Fastnet Race starts off Cowes on 24 July, and Cowes Week runs from 31 July to 6 August. The calendar is on the UK cruising page.
Questions
Which Solent port is best for a superyacht?
It depends on the yacht and the visit. Southampton has city-centre berths at Ocean Village and the yards of the Itchen, Portsmouth has Gunwharf Quays just inside the harbour entrance, and Cowes is the base for the racing. In the race weeks, Southampton or Portsmouth can be the better base.
At what length is pilotage compulsory in the Solent?
At Southampton from 61 metres, at Portsmouth from 48 metres, and at Cowes from 48 metres in the inner harbour and 61 metres in the outer. There is no pilotage in the western Solent or the Needles.
Where can a superyacht refuel in the Solent?
At the fuel berths at Hythe, Port Hamble, Gosport and Cowes, or from a bunker barge or road tanker. A larger yacht in Portsmouth bunkers at Albert Johnson Quay.