The island’s Harbours Dive Team sits within a combined Vessels & Diving budget of £5.4 million for 2026/27, Infrastructure Minister Tim Crookall MHK has confirmed.
The written answer also confirmed that last year’s allocation totalled £4.66 million.
The six‑member commercial dive unit forms part of the DoI’s Harbours Division and does not have a standalone budget line.
Its work includes underwater inspections of berths, piers, moorings and navigation aids, below‑waterline maintenance and repair, search and recovery tasks, emergency call‑outs, pollution response and support for wider departmental operations.
All diving activity is carried out under a formal commercial diving contractor framework with strict planning, supervision and safety requirements.
Dive numbers over the past five years were:
- 2021: 123
- 2022: 128
- 2023: 137
- 2024: 80
- 2025: 63
The full written answer can be found here.
