Marine Operations Code for Ports: Bulletin No.28 (April 2001)

Bulletin No.28 - April 2001

Port Marine Safety Code

The Port Marine Safety Code was published on 13 March 2000 (ISBN: 1 85112 365 2) and is £10

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NB: No Bulletin was issued in March 2001.

Port Marine Safety Code

The Department continues to receive reports of progress from authorities on implementation: the next formal review will be at the end of June.

Assessment criteria

The present position is that a national occupational standard for pilots has been accredited. BPIT have also used DfEE funding to set up a group which has derived from the standard a model syllabus for maritime colleges. This is about to be released.

Discussions continue with harbour authorities on the use of the accredited standard in determining the authorisation of pilots in accordance with the Pilotage Act. The Department seeks agreement to the development of an agreed methodology and assessment framework, in order to implement MAIB's recommendations following the Sea Empress grounding.

BPIT has agreement in principle for QCA funding for the remaining standards envisaged in the Port Marine Safety Code and will resume preparatory work as soon as contracts are agreed: the aim is to develop national occupational standards for harbour masters and port control/VTS..

Guide to Best Practice

The Department has collated comments on the 2nd draft, and these are now being reviewed, with the aim of producing a 3rd (and final) draft by the end of May. Quite a few examples of good practice have been submitted, but predominantly from a few authorities. Further discussion is needed on whether they do represent good practice and whether others are needed for representativeness.