Chairman’s Report 01/05

January 15th, 2005 by JCB
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CHAIRMAN’S REPORT

DfT

The Ports Division of the DfT issued the UKMPA with a document entitled “A Sea Change for Port Safety” in advance of the 20^th of January PMSC Compliance Working Group meeting. It was produced in July 2003 and corrected for publication in November 2004. It is a commentary on the Ports Division’s view of the progress or lack of it that has transpired since the PMSC was introduced. We have aptly christened it their “Christmas Cracker”. The Compliance WG should have been working towards the methodology of the MCA being able to determine on a port by port basis how individual ports compliance with the PMSC would be monitored and where it has not yet been adopted, encouraged/enforced. It appears that this will not now transpire. The only conclusion that can be drawn is that a preemptive strike has taken place by parties that you can name for yourselves. Your representatives will continue to challenge this state of affairs and the contents of the document “A Sea Change for Port Safety” that is now available on the DfT website. A proposed “Port Safety Bill” is expected to be presented to parliament in the form of a Private Members Bill by the Ports Division. On their own admission it has very little chance of being adopted. To highlight the ineffectual state of the PMSC, I will appraise you of the current situation regarding PEC abuse. The DfT state that it is not their remit to investigate and take action if an offence is committed. The MCA inform me that it is not for them to interfere and it is a matter for the CHA.

The CHA have stated that the PMSC does not require them to police a PEC issue. I

just hope the last official to leave remembers to switch the light off! The NOS for Pilots and the Pilot qualification is receiving a lukewarm reception by certain parties.

Following a recent meeting with Lord Tony Berkeley parliamentary questions are being drafted on the above issues and will be presented in the House of Lords. The T&G have been appraised and will become involved in the near future.

LEGAL

Contract issues are being studied for Wisbech, Dundee, Belfast, and the Orkneys. An issue relating to over carriage has been successfully dealt with by Blake Lapthorn Linnell.

EUROPE

The EUPP (mark 2) is being opposed by all parties. I have asked for a parliamentary question to be presented to establish the UK Governments stance on the EUPP (EU Port Package).

EMPA

It was with immense sadness that we acknowledged the death of our much admired President Gianfranco Gasperini. Juha Tullima, (Finland), our senior vice-President, has assumed the President’s position until the AGM in Poland.

ETCS

At a meeting in Paris of the Council of Presidents on the 13^th and 14^th of January, it was agreed that the UK will take charge of the ETCS project in the person of Gareth Rees (Southampton), Chairman of the T&TC, ably assisted by Brian Wilson (Belfast). It has been agreed that the subject of SBP (Shore Based Pilotage) will not be included in the ETCS project. A progress report will be presented at the AGM in Poland and the project will be completed in time for the AGM in Antwerp 2006 and then sent on to Brussels.

MarNIS

The problems experienced in the lead up to the commencement of this project have been resolved. The first meeting took place in Venice with the Dutch Pilot company involved and Rhein van Gooswilligen, President of the Dutch pilots Association, leading our delegation. Each meeting of the project will be monitored by an EMPA Board of Director and terms of reference are to be established, including strict financial arrangements. The UK, France, Germany, Holland and Belgium are supplying, two each, ‘expert pilots’ to scrutinise the project.

It is also regrettable that Harry Tabak has resigned from the Board of Directors and, consequently, the MarNIS project.