UK: Harbour Masters Welcome Call for Government Re-think

The Transport Select Committee’s call for a Government re-think of its policy on Coast Guard modernisation and the withdrawal of the Emergency Towing Vessels (ETVs) and Maritime Incident Response Group (MIRG provision, has been wholly welcomed by the UK’s professional association of harbour masters, the UKHMA).

The findings of the Transport Committee’s recent enquiry is published today and includes conclusions drawn from both oral and written evidence supplied to the Committee during their meetings in London, Scotland and England. The UKHMA offered written evidence in the initial consultation and oral evidence at the Select Committee session held in Falmouth in May.

“We welcome the findings of the Transport Select Committee and particularly their conclusion that the whole review process was flawed due to lack of any prior consultation,” commented UKHMA President, Kevin Richardson. “We were clear in the presentation of our evidence that we supported the principle of Coast Guard modernisation, but that we had serious doubts over the practicability and robustness of the proposals. With regard to the issues of the ETV and MIRG withdrawals, we were completely opposed to the Government’s plans, believing that they had been conceived without any real risk assessment and that the decision was based upon purely financial, rather than safety, criteria. We are most satisfied that the Transport Committee reached similar conclusions.

“To expect ports to pick-up a coastal salvage role by using harbour tugs in the absence of the ETVs is wholly impracticable and, quite frankly, dangerous“, continued Capt Richardson. “Modern-day harbour tugs are not equipped or configured for salvage roles and their crews are not trained to provide emergency response outside of port limits. That said, we are providing every assistance to the MCA, the DfT and other industry forums to find alternative solutions, in terms of funding and provision, to the wholly Government-financed ETV service.

“We concur with the Committee’s conclusion that the MCA’s proposals raise serious concerns that safety of life at sea and the protection of the maritime environment will be seriously compromised if the proposals proceed in their original form”, he concluded.

[mappress]

Source: UKHMA, June 23, 2011.