Marine Operations Code for Ports: Bulletin No.20 (July 2000)

Bulletin No.20 - July 2000

Port Marine Safety Code

The Port Marine Safety Code has now been published.

Copies of the Code (ISBN 1 85112 365 2) are priced at £10.

The publications home page contains information on how and where you can obtain publications produced by the Department for Transport.

There is no e-mail ordering facility at present.

It is also possible to view and download the Code from the Department's website at - www.shipping.dft.gov.uk/pmsc/report/index.htm

The Department circulated all competent harbour authorities at the end of June for information on progress with implementation; and on any difficulties being encountered. The Department continues a dialogue with some authorities about the future of their pilotage powers. Some would like to relinquish these but there is no practicable means of doing so, since there is no power to delete authorities from the original list of competent harbour authorities. This point has been noted for future legislation (see below).

Occupational standards

A series of initiatives are in progress. It is hoped to gain accreditation for the pilotage standards in July. The next meeting on harbour master standards is on 6 July. A questionnaire is being issued for DETR by BPIT to CHAs seeking information on pilotage authorisation and exemption criteria in preparation for discussion of national standards. A group of harbour authorities (led by Harwich Haven) are starting work on a standard for VTS operators. DfEE have provided money for a syllabus development project for pilot training. Further details and copies of available drafts are obtainable from BPIT (e-mail info@bpit.co.uk).

Guide to Good Practice

The first draft of this document is now being circulated. Copies may be down-loaded freely from the Department's website (www.shipping.dft.gov.uk/)

Comments are requested on this draft by 31 August 2000.

Possible legislation

The Department is considering responses to a consultation paper on the proposals for legislation included in the Review of the Pilotage Act 1987. A further note will issue once a conclusion has been reached about these.

Representative bodies

Invitations to the next meeting of national representative bodies with whom the Department is working on this project will be issued once the date (in October) has been settled.

Seminars

BPIT report enquiries about the possibility of workshops or seminars on implementation of the Code. The Maritime Training Colleges have offered venues. Consideration will be given to meeting these requests: further expressions of interest are invited by 31 July 2000 to enable the scale of demand to be assessed.

Ports Division
Department for Transport,
Zone 2/29,
Great Minster House
76 Marsham Street
London SW1P 4DR

Tel: 020 7944 5069
Fax: 020 7944 2188
e-mail: andrew.burr@dft.gsi.gov.uk