§ Mr. Kershawasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that, despite increasing use of radar, there are more collisions at sea every year; what proposals he will make to reduce the number of these collisions; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. JayThe statistics of collisions at sea during the last 20 years are inconclusive. Nevertheless, the Board attaches great importance to the proper use of radar and for some time now all candidates for a second mate's certificate of competency have been required to complete a suitable radar training course. There are still, however, masters at sea who have not received radar training, and the Board urged the shipping industry earlier this year to make arrangements to remedy this situation as soon as possible.
The Board has also proposed that the present syllabus for radar training should be reviewed, and that candidates for a master's certificate should be required to have attended a radar training course more advanced than the one now required for second mates.
The Board will be discussing these matters with the Chamber of Shipping, the Shipping Federation and the officers' associations in the near future.