Safety During Transfers of Persons to and from Ships

This consultation seeks the views of industry on the above Marine Guidance Note (MGN). This MGN has been drafted partly as a response to the recommendation made in the Marine Accident Investigation Branch report of their investigation in to a person overboard on 24 November 2008 during a passenger transfer between HMS Westminster and the Class V passenger vessel Princess Rose.  (The MAIB’s report can be read and downloaded from their website www.maib.gov.uk/publications)

The consultation will last a period of 8 weeks and all comments should be provided in writing please by post, fax or email to:

Richard Blakemore

Technical Support Team

Maritime and Coastguard Agency

Bay 2/25, Spring Place

105 Commercial Road

Southampton SO15 1EG

Fax:   023 8032 9161

Email:  richard.blakemore@mcga.gov.uk

to arrive no later than 1 February 2011

covering_letter_consultation.doc

transfer_of_persons_between_vessels_draft_mgn.pdf

summary of responses table

Responses, and any comments that the MCA has on them, will be published on the website as soon as possible after the consultation period has finished.  

Electronic versions of the consultation documents can be found on the MCA Website using the following address:

http://www.mcga.gov.uk/c4mca/mcga07-home/shipsandcargoes/consultations/mcga-currentconsultations.htm

Information provided in response to this consultation, including personal information, may be published or disclosed in accordance with the access to information regimes.  These are primarily the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA), the Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA) and the Environmental Information Regulations 2004.

If you would like the information that you provide to be treated as confidential please be aware that, under the FOIA, there is a statutory Code of Practice with which public authorities must comply and which deals, amongst other things, with obligations of confidence.  In view of this it would be helpful if you could explain to us why you regard the information you have provided as confidential.  If we receive a request for disclosure of the information we will take full account of your explanation, but we cannot give assurances that confidentiality can be maintained in all circumstances.  An automated confidentiality disclaimer generated by your IT system will not, of itself, be regarded as binding on the MCA.

The MCA will process your personal data in accordance with the Data Protection Act and in the majority of circumstances this will mean that your personal data will not be disclosed to third parties.

This consultation is being conducted in accordance with Cabinet Office Code of Practice on Written Consultations.  Should you have any comments or complaints about how this consultation has been conducted please direct them to the MCA’s Consultation Co-ordinator:

Consultation Co-ordinator

Office of the Chief Executive

MCA

Bay 3/29, Spring Place

105 Commercial Road

Southampton

SO15 1EG

consultation.coordinator@mcga.gov.uk

The customer feedback form may be downloaded here. Feedback form

List of Consultees

British Chamber of Shipping

The Domestic Passenger Ship Steering Group (an industry liaison group consisting of passenger ship operators)

The Fishing Industry Safety Group (an industry liaison group)

NUMAST

The British Ship Registries: Cayman Islands, Gibraltar, Isle of Man, British Virgin Islands and Bermuda

The UK Authorised Classification Societies: ABS, GL, DNV, Class NKK, BV, LR, RINA.  

Representatives of Owners/Operators of Commercial Yachts, Commercial Code vessels

UK Maritime Pilots Boat Association