Editorial 04/06

April 15th, 2006 by JCB
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Editorial

The good news this quarter is that the UKMPA is at last going to be represented within the group Port Skills and Safety Limited (PSSL). PSSL took over from the DfT funded British Ports Industry Training (BPIT) in 2002 and whereas the UKMPA had worked closely with BPIT to produce a comprehensive document detailing National Occupational Standards for Maritime pilots we were not invited to join the port led commercial body of PSSL. It has therefore taken four years of hard work by both Norman McKinney and Les Cate along with members of the Section Committee to finally achieve an invitation to participate on the group’s activities relevant to pilots. The reason that this is important is that PSSL, in conjunction with some nautical colleges, have produced a draft Foundation Degree for ports which will include pilotage and it is therefore essential that pilots are represented. The UKMPA has only one agenda within PSSL and that is safety and we will therefore be using our membership to convince those who may wish to reduce standards that it is in the interests of the whole ports sector that high standards of training and qualifications for pilots are maintained in the interests of ensuring the safety of ships, port infrastructure and reputations!

John Clandillon-Baker