Marine Operations Code for Ports: Bulletin No.37 (March 2002)

Bulletin No.37 - March 2002

Port Marine Safety Code

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

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

Implementation

In January we issued a letter to every competent harbour authority asking for their statements reporting on implementation of the Code. The response has been good and the reports in many instances are of a high standard. Regrettably, we have heard nothing from the following twenty seven authorities:

British Waterways Board (River Ouse)
Canterbury County Council (Whitstable)
Carmarthenshire County Council (Llanelli)
Clyde
Cowes Harbour Commission
Cumbria County Council (Workington)
Duchy of Cornwall (Scilly Isles)
Eastbourne (Sovereign Harbour)
Exeter City Council
Falmouth Docks
Folkestone
Irvine
Littlehampton Harbour Board
Looe Harbour Commission
Maldon Harbour Improvement Commission
Manchester Ship Canal
Maryport Harbour Commission
Medway Ports Authority
Mousehole Harbour Commission
Norfolk Broads Authority
Porthleven
Sandwich Port & Haven Commission
Seaham Harbour Dock Company
Tees & Hartlepool Port Authority Ltd
Waveney District Council (Southwold)
West Dorset District Council (Bridport)
Worthing Borough Council

Several authorities have contacted us to report that they are running late for various reasons. They have been asked to keep us informed on progress:

Anglesey County Council (Amlwch)
Argyle & Bute (Rothesay)
Blyth
Brighton Village Marina
Coleraine Harbour Commission
Crouch Harbour Authority
Dart Harbour & Navigation Authority
Environment Agency Wales (River Dee)
Fenland District Council (Wisbech)
Newhaven
Isle of Wight Council (Newport)
North Devon District Council (Ilfracombe)
Orkney Islands Council
Port of Mostyn
Port of Sunderland
Portland Port Ltd
River Hamble Harbour Authority
Scrabster Harbour Trust
Sedgemoor District Council (Bridgwater)
Wells Harbour Commission.

A review on the extent and the costs and benefits of implementation is underway and a programme of visits to selected ports is planned in the coming months.

A Guide to Good Practice on Port Marine Operations

The text is published on the DTLR website and can be freely downloaded. Hard copies of the Guide (ISBN 185112 5221) with a cover price £25 will be available after 15 March.

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

Also on 15 March the Maritime and Coastguard Agency are planning to publish guidelines for ports on Contingency Planning for Marine Pollution Preparedness and Response. This will be available on their website at www.mcga.gov.uk. They propose to notify ports, harbours and all other interested parties in due course.

National Occupational Standards

A meeting to discuss the latest draft on the Harbour Master's Standards has been arranged for 27 March here at Great Minster House. It is open for anyone with an interest to attend. If you wish to do so please contact Bob Jones on: 0870 444 6181 or e-mail: bob@bpit.co.uk.

Conferences

A national conference, Modern Ports - Facing the Future, took place on 20 February. Over 200 delegates involved in or associated with the industry attended the day's discussion of relevant issues concerning ports capacity and development, the access to port services directive, regulatory burdens, skills and safety. The feedback will be useful in determining future strategy on ports policy.

The 11th UKHMA conference is scheduled for 14 March 2002 and it is hoped to include presentations from harbour masters on implementation of the Code.

Bulletin

The Bulletin was created to keep everyone with an interest in the Code informed on progress. Now that the implementation date is passed and the Guide to Good Practice published there is no longer a need for this on a monthly basis. The first Bulletin was sent out in December 1998 and the electronic mailing list has grown considerably since then. Rather than lose this useful communication channel, we have decided to keep it for use as the need arises. If you wish to be added to this list please contact jackie.shaw@dft.gsi.gov.uk with your details.