Marine Operations Code for Ports: Bulletin No.4 (March 1999)

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Bulletin No.4 - March 1999

This is the fourth of a series of monthly bulletins issued by the Department to report progress with development of a Marine Operations Code for Ports, following recommendations in the Department's review of the Pilotage 1. Copies of bulletins will be made available on request.

Background

The review of the Pilotage Act 1987 followed a Marine Accident Investigation Branch report on the SEA EMPRESS. The report's main proposal was that a "Marine Operations Code for Ports" should be developed, covering all port safety functions, and not just pilotage. The first bulletin, issued in December 1998, reported progress to date.

Enquiries and submissions on the Code should be made to Andrew Burr at the above address. They may also be made there to Colin Morris, Cameron Clark and Jackie Shaw [Colin.Morris@dft.gsi.gov.uk (e-mail addresses are the same substituting the appropriate name)].

Meeting with representative bodies

A second meeting with representative bodies has been held on 1 March. The main items for discussion then were

  • the first draft outline of the Code
  • formal safety assessment and management
  • training

The following paragraphs summarise agreed conclusions. A note will be available shortly.

Drafting the Code

The Code will need to be accompanied by a training standard (see below), and a guide to good practice - all three need to be developed in parallel, although the text of the Code needs to be go first to provide guidance to the other elements.

  • The Code itself will be drafted on the basis of three broad principles -
  • the legal duties and powers of harbour authorities provide the basis for their accountability: all authorities will be held accountable for the powers and duties they have;
  • the Code will aim to define the standard to which duties and powers should be performed - the first step towards this is to ensure a systematic approach to safety assessment and management;
  • duties, powers and systems are of little value unless they are executed by properly trained people.

There are second order questions to be addressed to fill out this framework (see below on further work planned).

The first outline of the Code (copies of latest version available on request) will be developed progressively, with attention paid to presentation as well as content. Systems are already in place in some ports, but there is no standard against which to measure achievement: this will be acknowledged.

Safety Assessment and Management

A presentation was made following a successful meeting on safety assessment and management systems on 13 January (see Bulletin No 3). Methodology is well-developed and it will now be possible to draft material for the Code on these aspects. This will be included in the next version. Discussion centred on the need for, and approach to, auditing - on which a further meeting was proposed later.

Training

It is hoped that the British Ports Industry Training Organisation will co-ordinate drafting, with assistance from a group drawn from across the industry. It is considered essential that training should develop an appreciation of port activity as an integrated operation - not overlooking the parallel importance of understanding sea-going disciplines.

Further Business

There was a brief review of forthcoming work - on passage planning; pilotage and pilotage exemption; towing guidance; harbour lights; the role of VTS; and auditing and performance measurement. Work on the best practice guide has also to be started shortly. A group will be convened next on passage planning.

Briefings

Meetings have been held during February with the Maritime Training Colleges, in South Shields; with a group of BPA harbour masters; and with the International Marine Pilots Assn (IMPA).

1: Review of Pilotage Act 1987 (published by The Stationery Office July 1998) ISBN 0 11 753471 4