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Mersey Port Health Authority enforces environmental, public and animal health controls across 53 miles of coastline in Liverpool, Sefton and Wirral. 

What we do

Our experienced team carries out a range of health controls that include:

• import controls for animal origin food and products
• ship sanitation control and certification
• food safety and hygiene inspections 
• checks on Shellfish beds 
• infectious disease control
• pollution control

Who we are governed by

We are partially funded and democratically controlled by the three waterfront authorities of Liverpool, Sefton and Wirral. Our services are governed by Liverpool City Council and the Mersey Port Health Authority Committee.

• View the agendas and minutes from our committee meetings  

The history of port health and Liverpool's docks

• 1207 – King John decrees a royal charter to create the Port of Liverpool
• 1348 – Black Death sweeps across Europe, initially transmitted to humans with a bite from an infected flea carried by a rodent. This led to the quarantine of ships for forty days before being allowed to dock and unload cargo.
• 1715 – World’s first commercial wet dock built Liverpool. Further docks were added enabling ship movements within the dock system 24 hours a day.  The interconnected dock system was the most advanced port system in the world.
• 1847 – appointment of the country’s first Medical Officer for Health, William Henry Duncan, known as Dr Duncan, in Liverpool. 
• 1874 – Port Sanitary Authority created which was he forerunner to Mersey Port Health Authority.
• 1896 – gunboat deployed to stop unauthorised movements of quarantined shipping. Liverpool docks handled over 40% of the world’s maritime trade.
• Late 19th/Early 20th Century – both the White Star Line and Cunard Line were based at the Port of Liverpool. Liverpool was the home port for the ill-fated vessels RMS Lusitania and RMS Titanic.
• 1972 – opening of Seaforth Dock (RSCT), the largest dock on the dock network.