Essex Waterways Ltd is a trading subsidiary company of The Inland Waterways Association, a registered charity that campaigns for the preservations, conservation, restoration and development of the inland waterways of Great Britain. 

As a private company, Essex Waterways Ltd is bound by the requirements of the Companies Acts, although it also tries to act in the best interests of the waterway and for the benefit of the public.  Any surplus funds that are made at the end of each year’s trading are passed to The Inland Waterways Association, and are placed in a Restricted Fund that can only be spent on the Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation, as part of IWA’s charitable purpose.