David Foggie
Bay 2/29
Spring Place
105 Commercial Rd
Southampton
SO15 1EG
United Kingdom

Tel:+44 (0)23 8083 9114
Fax:+44 (0)23 8032 9161
E-mail:  Dave.Foggie@mcga.gov.uk

Your ref:                
Our ref:                

19 September 2008

Dear Sirs,

Construction Standards for Offshore Support Vessels and Other Special Ship Types

The attached guidance, in the form of a draft Marine Guidance Note and illustrative flow chart, is addressed to owners and builders of UK ships which are intended for duties such as oil well servicing.  The subject of Special Purpose Ships is included.  A number of IMO resolutions relate to the construction of such vessels, with the result that there is a lack of uniformity in building and operating standards.  The MGN is intended to clarify what is applicable.

In order to permit the fullest possible consultation allowing a period of 12 weeks, it is suggested that replies should be sent to the undersigned by 11th December.

Best regards

David Foggie

Maritime and Coastguard Agency

Consultation documents

Draft MGN: Construction Standards for Offshore Support Vessels and Other Special Ship Types (Word 349Kb)

Flow Chart for Determination of Applicable Standards (Word 33Kb)

Freedom of Information Act

Please also note that 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 want 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 an assurance that confidentiality can be maintained in all circumstances. An automatic confidentiality disclaimer generated by your IT system will not, of itself, be regarded as binding on the Department.

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

Consultation Criteria

MCA has set out to conduct this consultation in accordance with the following Cabinet Office criteria:

·consult widely throughout the process, allowing a minimum of 12 weeks for written consultation at least once during the development of the policy;

·be clear about what your proposals are, who may be affected, what questions are being asked and the timescale for responses;

·ensure that your consultation is clear, concise and widely accessible;

·give feedback regarding the responses received, and how the consultation process influenced the policy

·monitor your department’s effectiveness at consultation, including through the use of a designated consultation co-ordinator;

·ensure your consultation follows better regulation best practice, including carrying out a Regulatory Impact Assessment if appropriate;

·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 Coordinator
Office of the Chief Executive
MCA
Bay 3/29, Spring Place
105 Commercial Rd
Southampton
SO15 1EG

consultation.coordinator@mcga.gov.uk Tel: 02380329189