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- The latest issues: 327
Technical and Training
Pilots: Training Matters! Mike Robarts
It is encouraging to see technical contributions from members in this edition of ‘The Pilot’ magazine. To build on this I thought it might be interesting to discuss what some of our known organisations are developing in the way of training. Read the rest of this entry »
Master and Pilot Exchange Documentation: Richard Wild
The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) Bridge Procedures Guide (4th edition 2007) contains in Annexes A1 and A2 two forms for communicating information between ship and shore and shore and ship respectively. Read the rest of this entry »
All Parliamentary Parties Maritime & Ports Groups meetings: Mike Robarts
Your Association regularly attends the All Parliamentary Parties Maritime and Ports Groups (APPMPG) meetings in Westminster’s committee rooms. The APPMPG allows MPs and House of Lords (HoL) to meet delegates from the maritime sector to discuss various items of mutual relevance. A presentation is a highlight of each meeting. An MP
and a Lord jointly chair the whole group, whose members have an interest in maritime topics. Some attending MPs have constituencies with a port or coastline. Regular delegates from the maritime sector include: Department for Transport, Maritime and Coastguard Agency, Chamber of Shipping, Trinity House, Royal Navy, Honourable Company of Master Mariners, UK major ports group, British Ports Association, trades unions, shipping companies and ourselves. These meetings give our Association excellent opportunities to meet MPs and representatives from different sectors of the maritime industry. Through them we make our voice heard.
At the meeting on the 7 January 2014 the Shipping Minister Stephen Hammond addressed the group. Nick Cutmore IMPA and Mike Robarts attended to represent our respective Associations. This turned out to be an important meeting. There was full attendance, because the discussion was on regulations affecting ports and shipping.
In his opening address Mr Hammond mentioned London International Shipping Week. He observed that the LISW had been a success in demonstrating the UK’s strengths as a maritime nation and, as a consequence, further events are to be planned on a biennial succession. He is to be part of a delegation to Singapore as part of the UK trade and industry, the aim being to promote maritime UK. He advocates round table discussions,which he considers successful in bringing together different areas of the industry, and also cross-party meetings in governmental efforts to promote maritime UK. Low sulphur regulations that focus on emissions are starting to prove a sizeable cost, making ship owners anxious, especially with new regulation coming into force in January 2015 that place a limit of 0.1% on sulphur emissions. The Shipping Minister voiced concern over the availability of low sulphur fuel in Europe. The UK continues to work with other EU states on the proposed European regulation.
The last point of discussion in the Joint Committee was about proposed EU regulation of ports. This regulation covers a number of aspects of port operations, including, for us as pilots, an unwarranted proposal for competition in pilotage. Mr Hammond spoke about the extraordinary number of proposed amendments in the new regulation: over 542. (Successful implementation of this regulation means significant changes to the way we work and to our profession. MR.) He then talked about the complexities if the regulation was not passed in Europe or the UK and something else brought in its place instead. The UK continues to work with the EU TRAN committee, MEPs and with other European states. The floor was then opened to questions from delegates. We expressed our concern about EU ports regulation and UK major ports group and other individual ports added their worries about proposed ports regulation.
On the 4 February Don Cockrill Chairman attended the APPMPG meeting, which discussed the vulnerability of GPS, e-navigation and navigational safety. Trinity House (TH) gave a presentation illustrating and explaining their various roles in these areas. One of the items looked at was e-loran, with the result that our Chairman is now in discussion with TH over assistance by our members with the trials TH are planning with regard to e-loran and port approaches on the east coast.
On another topic, that of EU Ports Regulation, Mike Morris recently attended a business forum in Bristol, at which Sim Kallas, European Transport Commissioner, was a delegate panel member. Mike represented our members well and fired questions directly to the commissioner about proposed European Ports regulation.
Future APPMPG meetings are planned and John Pearn Vice Chairman and Mike Robarts will attend the Ports Energy conference, and later a Parliamentary Renewable and Sustainable Energy Group (PRASEG) meeting at Westminster in the evening.
EU Port Services Update: October 2013: Interview with Mike Morris
Mike Morris, Director of the Manchester Ship Canal Pilots, Executive of the Association and Vice President of EMPA, continues his hard work at European level working with other EMPA members to defend pilots. This is the third time that the EU has tried to introduce a ports package which introduces competition in pilotage and affect the careers of many of our members. Read the rest of this entry »
Women Pilots: Dr Jo Stanley
Dr Jo Stanley
Very few people know the UK has only four women marine pilots. Still fewer know what it took for these few women to achieve their senior position. Read the rest of this entry »
UKMPA & Londion International Shipping Week
The week of September 12th 2013 saw the start of London International Shipping Week (LISW). This marked the first of a series of events, conferences, workshops and receptions, aimed at supporting and marketing the importance of London as a shipping centre and the UK as a maritime nation. Read the rest of this entry »
Merchant Navy Medal Recognised as a National Honour
The Merchant Navy Medal has been a maritime industry-sponsored Medal since 2005. Read the rest of this entry »
PEC “Any Deck Officer”? The “CSL Thames” Grounding: JCB
Photo: MAIB
Unless you’ve been on another planet during the last year you’ll all be fully aware that the marine Navigation Bill (2) (MNB) received Royal assent on the 29th April and will pass into law on 1st October. Read the rest of this entry »
Make Weather Data Work For You: Nigel Allen
Following on from Jonathon Pearce’s DUKC feature ,this account serves to highlight the importance of environmental factors in passage planning. (Ed)
Master / Pilot Exchange: Dr Katherine Devitt
It ain’t what you do, it’s the way that you do it!
As the elements (such as those detailed by Nigel Allen in this article) involved in a pilotage passage become more complex, the importance of an effective and on-going dialogue between Pilot and Master MPX) during the passage cannot be over-emphasised. Dr Devitt’s following research summary highlights the key factors. (JCB) Read the rest of this entry »
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