Section committee Reports 04/05

April 15th, 2005 by JCB
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UKMPA AT WORK

In addition to local duties SC members are being kept very busy by the need to attend the many meetings and seminars which could have an effect on pilotage matters.  Space doesn’t permit full details of this involvement to be included in these pages but members should take note of the circulars sent out to local Districts. The key areas of involvement at the moment are:

Joe Wilson: Vice Chairman representing the UKMPA on Maritime Navigation and Information Services (MarNIS) forum. This is a major EU project and details can be obtained from: www.marnis.org John Pretswell: In addition to the considerable duties of Treasurer he has attended meetings with the T&G with regards to EU revised Ports directive (EUPP2) and also attended the AGM of the Advisory Committee on Protection of the Sea (ACOPS).

NB The revised ports directive is receiving much criticism from all sides but one worrying development is the direct support by Tony Blair for an open competitive free market Europe and this is in danger of becoming the official UK position thus overriding the opposition to the Directive by UK Major Ports Group as well as the UKMPA.

Don Cockrill has been kept extremely busy with the vast correspondence and meetings with the MCA and DfT over the review of the PMSC. Supported by other SC members there has been some clarification of the procedures to adopt if it is believed that a CHA is in breach of the PMSC and this has been interpreted as follows:

·        Make the complaint to HM

·        If not satisfied take it to the board

·        If still not satisfied take it to the MCA

·        Take it the Secretary of State

·        If they cannot resolve it notify UKMPA as evidence that ‘self regulation doesn’t work’.

There is still resistance to formally introducing a pilotage qualification and incorporating standards into the PMSC by the ports representatives and the Chamber of Shipping who still maintain that they “do not see the need”. It has been pointed out to the COS that it must be in the interests of their members to have well trained competent pilots and this novel suggestion seemed to take them by surprise!  The costs involved in attending the meetings and working on the standards have also used by these groups as an excuse. The UKMPA have pointed out that we do (and will) happily do it all for free!!  Other points that the UKMPA are raising are the misnomer term of Pilotage Exemption Certificate (PEC) with suggestions of recognition of what the certificate actually grants by changing the title to something along the lines of a Limited Pilotage Certificate. This would then be subjected to similar standards and qualifications as applicable to a pilot on the same class of vessel. I believe that Fowey already use the term Local Pilotage Certificate but formal change would require amending the Pilotage Act and this is an area that the UKMPA are currently working on ready for the new Government after May 5^th.

President Lord Tony Berkeley

has asked the following Parliamentary Questions:

PILOTAGE EXEMPTION CERTIFICATES

Q: Who is responsible for monitoring and enforcing the operation of the marine pilotage exemption certificates?

Lord Davies of Oldham:

Competent Harbour Authorities are responsible for the issuing and operation of pilotage exemption certificates.

Q: In respect of each competent harbour authority, what offences have been committed relating to pilotage exemption certificate and how many convictions there have been in the last five years?

Lord Davies: The Government do not hold records relating to marine pilotage exemption certificates.

PORT MARINE SAFETY CODE

Q: What are the terms of reference of the Marine and Coastguard Agency’s review of the port marine safety code; which ports have been found to be non-compliant; and when the final report will be published?

Lord Davies: The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) is not reviewing the port marine safety code, and no report is due to be published. However, the agency is working with port authorities on compliance assurance issues on an ongoing basis.

ENGLISH CHANNEL

Q: Who is responsible for informing the authorised pilots operating within a competent harbour authority about any adverse shoal depths discovered, following a survey of the English Channel?

Lord Davies: Harbour authorities are responsible for publishing appropriate hydrographic information, including warnings on recently identified navigational hazards, for the area within the harbour.  Waters, such as the English Channel, outside the jurisdiction of the competent harbour authority are surveyed according to arrangements agreed through the Civil Hydrography Programme. Survey areas are prioritised using a risk assessment methodology.

KRISTIAN PEDERSEN: Executive member

for region 6 and local secretary for SE Wales.  At the time of going to press the UKMPA had received the shock news that Kristian Pedersen had been summarily dismissed by APB. Kristian has appealed against his dismissal and the hearing has been set for Monday 18 April. Kristian is being fully supported for his hearing by both the T&G and a legal team.