Consultation on Procedure for the Testing of Fire Protection for use with Composite and Wooden Constructions

Dear Consultee

This consultation seeks the views of industry on a new Marine Guidance Note on the Procedure for the Testing of Fire Protection for use with Composite and Wooden (vessel) Constructions.  The draft guidance note has been prepared to detail the research undertaken and the procedures to be followed to demonstrate the fire protection standards for non-steel constructions.

This guidance is intended to be used by ship owners, operators, designers and builders to identify which fire tests will need to be undertaken to demonstrate the construction is sufficiently insulated to meet the fire protection standards required by regulation.

The consultation will last a period of 12 weeks and all comments should be provided in writing by post, fax or email to:


Gareth Love

Vessel Policy Advisor

Vessel Policy Branch

Maritime and Coastguard Agency

Bay 2/30, Spring Place

105 Commercial Road

Southampton

SO15 1EG

Fax:   023 8032 9104

Email:  Gareth.Love@mcga.gov.uk

to arrive no later than 02 November 2010


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.

Consultation Documents

Annex A:MGN 407

Annex B: List of Consultees

Annex C: Feedback form

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 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