Marine Operations Code for Ports: Bulletin No.7 (June 1999).

Bulletin No.7 - June 1999

This is the seventh 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 Act 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 (e-mail addresses are the same substituting the appropriate name).

Drafting the Code

It is hoped to have a complete draft of the Code by October 1999, as a basis for final consultation before publication at the end of the year.

It is intended to produce a further version of the draft Code by the end of June. It will still be incomplete, but will reflect progress to date.

It is hoped that the draft will contain a revised chapter on safety assessment, following a contribution from the Health & Safety Executive - this will be referred back at the same time to the group which discussed this aspect in January.

A draft has also been written on the use of directions by harbour authorities and harbour masters, which has been circulated first to those who attended the meeting on passage planning held in April. It will be incorporated in the next version of the draft - including material on pilotage directions.

It is intended that the June draft will also cover the provision of pilotage services, including the authorisation of pilots.

Competence Standards

British Ports Industry Training has secured funding to develop competence standards as required to support the Code. A steering group has its first meeting on 8 June.

It is also planned to hold a meeting with interested training institutions to brief them on this part of the project.

Passage Planning

A meeting with selected experienced personnel was held 21 April to discuss the treatment of passage planning in the Code. This will be included in the section on directions since these are the means of giving plans regulatory force.

The meeting reached broad agreement along the lines already set out in the report of the Review of the Pilotage Act. It was emphasised that plans must take account of a wide variety of local circumstances; and that provisions in the Code must recognise this. It is proposed to show a draft section of the Code to those participating in the meeting before releasing it in the next outline draft.

Best Practice Guide

The proposed Best Practice Guide in support of the Code has been delayed by other priorities. The initial 'brainstorming' session on the scope of this Guide may not be held until early July.

Representative Bodies

Another meeting of representative bodies will be arranged in July to follow release of the next draft. It will also review initial work on competence standards, and possibly the Best Practice Guide.

Presentations

Two presentations were given in May. The international conference organised by the Institute of Petroleum with the Nautical Institute was cancelled.

A successful session was held at the British Tugowners Association annual conference with presentations by the Department and Capt Jimmy Chestnutt (ABP Southampton). It is proposed to convene a specialist meeting on the role of towage later in the work prgramme.

The seminar on co-ordination of vessel traffic systems standards organised by Trinity House was a major event. It was agreed that the Marine Operations Code for Ports would reflect guidelines developed by IALA and adopted by IMO on vessel traffic systems. The Code itself is unlikely to deal in detail with VTS, or to make its use mandatory by UK ports. Their operational requirements vary widely: the Code will confine itself to their need to ensure that they have effective oversight of their waters, and the means to regulate users.

Ports Policy Paper

A series of meetings have been held with various interests in connection with the planned ports policy paper - including an all day session with the ports associations. The Code was identified as an area of successful partnership between the Department and industry.

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