§ Mr. Spearingasked the Secretary of State for Transport which recommendations made by the official inquiry into the capsized ferry European Gateway in 1982 have since been acted upon.
§ Mr. MooreRecommendations of courts of formal investigations are carefully considered and all relevant
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Recommendations Action taken 1. The Department should recognise that modern radar provides an alternative to compass bearings as a means of detecting the risk of collision and should emphasise this in M Notices. The Department did not accept this premise but an M Notice was issued to draw attention to the proper use of radar as an aid to navigation and in the avoidance of collisions. 2. Funds should be provided for research into the phenomenon of a symmetric flooding of a symmetrical compartment. Stage I of the research project has been completed and stage 2 will commence shortly. 3. Consideration should be given to catering for the possibility of abandoning a ship listing to more than 15°. For a ship whose keel was laid on or after 1 July 1986 the regulations now require that the lifeboats can be launched when the ship is listed up to 20°. 4. Distribution and use of portable VHF sets should form part of the drill practised at musters. A ship whose keel was laid on or after 1 July 1986 is required to have an emergency means of two-way communication (which may be fixed or portable or both) between emergency control station, muster and embarkation stations and strategic positions on board. 5. Passenger vessels should carry at least two portable loudhailers for communication with passengers in emergencies A ship whose keel was laid on or after I July 1986 requires either a public address system or some other means of communication. 6. There should be uniformity of practice in the stowage of lifejackets in ships of the same class. In the final stages of discussions with the Industry. 7. Lifejackets for children and their stowage should be clearly marked "FOR CHILDREN". It has been agreed with the Industry that new lifejackets presently marked for "persons weighing less than 32 kg" will also have the word "child" stencilled on them. Stowage will be so marked. 8. Distinguishing the stowage position of the safety knife in liferafts by luminous paint. There is a difficulty in finding a suitable material which retains its luminosity for 12 months when stored in darkness. Meanwhile the position of the knife is being marked by reflective tape or some similar means, on a voluntary basis. 9. Regulations should require that, when practicable, passenger ships should operate with watertight doors closed. After consultation with the industry my Department has issued written guidance on the provision of access openings in watertight bulkheads of passenger ships and procedures for operating watertight doors. An M Notice on "The operation of watertight doors on passenger ships" has also been issued. 10. Power operation of watertight doors on passenger ships should be mandatory. The relevant regulations have been amended so that power operation on new ships is a statutory requirement. In addition all existing UK registered passenger ro-ro ferries are now fitted with power operated doors. 11. Regulations should provide for uniformity in the operation of watertight doors. The UK has taken this matter up with the International Maritime Organisation and it is expected to be agreed at the next session of the appropriate sub-committee. organisations within the industry are consulted before a decision is taken. The European Gateway/Speedlink Vanguard inquiry made 15 recommendations, the most important six of which covered the provision and operation of watertight doors below the waterline, thus addressing a major factor in the loss of the European Gateway—the flooding below the waterline after she was holed in a collision. These recommendations have been implemented for all new ships and virtually implemented or are being discussed internationally for existing ships. The key recommendations which requires the fitting of power operated, watertight doors below the waterline has been implemented for all United Kingdom registered roro ferries.
The full 15 recommendations and the action taken against each are as follows.
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Recommendations Action taken 12. Regulations should require watertight doors in machinery spaces to be kept closed in reduced visibility. After extensive consultation it is expected that the next revision of the regulations dealing with the closing of openings in watertight bulkheads will include these requirements. 13. Regulations should permit selected watertight doors in machinery spaces to be open in clear visibility. 14. Until regulations are changed British passenger ships should comply with Regulations 3 of the Merchant shipping (Closings and Openings in Hulls and Watertight Bulkheads) Regulations 1980. An M Notice has been issued to remind owners of passenger ships of the statutory requirements for the closing of openings in watertight bulkheads. 15. Consideration should be given for the counsel to the tribunal to be independent of the Department of Transport. When there appears to be a conflict of interest it is the Departments view that this can be met by appointing separate representation for the Department's marine directorate.