City's harbour master, Jimmy, opts for calmer waters aged 61

Captain Chestnutt, who is 61, co-ordinated ABP's blueprint for the proposed terminal on Southampton Water plus its submissions to the long-running public inquiry, which finally led to the government refusing permission for the development.

Before joining ABP in 1993, Capt Chestnutt, who is also the company's marine adviser and Southampton's deputy port manager, spent more than 30 years serving with the Royal Navy, where his final role was Queen's Harbour Master and Captain of the Port of Portsmouth. He retires next month.

He said: "I will miss working in the port. I still believe it is unfortunate that the Dibden Bay project did not go ahead as it was the right place for the terminal,'' said Capt Chestnutt, who lives in Romsey.

Andrew Kent, Southampton's port director said: "Jimmy has been a valued member of the management team here in Southampton and will be missed by everyone at the port.

"It has been an absolute pleasure to work with him over the past ten years and I have no doubt that our industry will continue to benefit in some way from his knowledge and experience."

His successor as Southampton's harbour master, will be Steven Young, currently the port manager at ABP Barrow and Silloth.

Qualified as a class one master mariner, Capt Young, 46, is no stranger to the city's docks. He joined ABP in 1990 as Southampton's deputy harbour master after a career at sea with P&O. He was appointed to his present position in 2000.

Capt Chestnutt's role as marine adviser will be taken over by Captain Philip Holliday, who retains his current role as marine manager for South Wales ports.

Paul Vickers, who led the Waterside campaign against the Dibden Bay development, said: "We were adversaries from beginning to end but there'sno personal animosity.

"We were both out professionally trying to do the best we could which is what he did for ABP."