HC Deb 21 July 1977 vol 935 cc657-8W
Mr. Prescott

asked the Secretary of State for Trade when he expects to make regulations providing for a new scheme of certificates of competency for deck officers in the United Kingdom Merchant Navy; and what these regulations will provide.

Mr. Clinton Davis

The Merchant Shipping (Certification of Deck Officers) Regulations 1977, made under section 43 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1970, were laid before Parliament today and will come into operation on 1st September 1981. The transitional period of four years is due to the far-reaching nature of the new requirements and is necessary in order to give all organisations affected sufficient time to adapt to them.

Features of the new regulations are that they:

  1. (i) abolish the old "Home Trade" and "Foreign Going" categories of voyages in favour of new trading areas described as "Near Continental", "Middle Trade" and "Unlimited Operations", the definitions being such as to include operations to offshore oil exploration and production areas;
  2. (ii) provide for the first time that deck officers on cargo ships trading in the Near Continental waters will require to be certificated. They provide, however, for the issue of certificates of service which will enable an uncertificated officer, who has given three years' satisfactory service in this trade, to continue in his post;
  3. (iii) require ships to carry sufficient certificated officers to ensure that the navigational watch is always in the charge of an officer with a certificate of competency. This is an international obligation which is thus discharged by the United Kingdom.
  4. (iv) require masters and chief officers of ships carrying bulk cargoes of dangerous chemicals to have special training and experience in the handling of such cargoes;
  5. (v) require large pleasure craft and sail training ships of 80 gross tons and over to carry certificated persons in charge—or otherwise satisfy the Department that they are in the charge of competent persons.

The regulations, which embody important changes to bring the long-standing provisions of earlier Merchant Shipping legislation into line with present day requirements, represent a completely new concept and are the result of a comprehensive review which the Department has made over the last six years in close consultation with employers and unions in the shipping industry. A similar review of the arrangements for the certification of marine engine officers has been undertaken and separate regulations will be laid before Parliament later this year.