§ Mr. Tony Lloydasked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give details of the regulations with which an operator is required to conform in operating a cross-Channel ferry.
§ Mr. David MitchellOperators of cross-channel ferries have to comply with those regulations, contained in international conventions, applicable to passenger ships engaged on short international voyages (that is, international voyages in the course of which a ship is not more than 200 miles from a port or place in which the passengers and crew could be placed in safety).
The principal international conventions relating to safety include—
The 1974 Solas Convention and the 1978 protocol relating thereto incorporating the 1981 and 1983 amendments.
The relevant chapters are:—
Chapter I —General Provisions Chapter II-1 —Construction—Subdivision and stability, machinery and electrical installations. Chapter II-2 —Construction—Fire protection, fire detection and fire extinction Chapter III —Life-saving appliances and arrangements Chapter IV —Radio and radiotelephony Chapter V —Safety of navigation Chapter VII —Carriage of dangerous goods; The International Convention on Load Lines, 1966;
The Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, 1972 and the 1981 amendments relating thereto:
The International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978.
The requirements of these international conventions are normally incorporated in the national legislation of the flag state administration. For the United Kingdom, the principal statutory instruments relating to safe operation of cross-channel ferries are: 182W
Title of Merchant Shipping Statutory Instrument S.I. number(s) MS (Certification of Deck Officers) Regulations 1985/1306 MS (Certification of Marine Engineer Officers) Regulations 1980/2025 MS (Certification of Competency as AB) Regulations 1970/ 294 MS (Official Log Books) Regulations 1981/ 569 MS (Official Log Books) (Amendment) Regulations 1985/1828 MS (Medical Examination) (Amendment) Regulations 1985/ 512 MS (Dangerous Goods) Regulations 1981/1747 MS (Dangerous Goods) (Amendment) Regulations 1986/1069 MS (Life-Saving Appliances) Regulations 1980/ 538 1986/1066 MS (Life-Saving Appliances) (Amendment) Regulations 1981/ 577 1986/1072 MS (Musters and Training) Regulations 1986/1071 MS (Musters) (Amendment) Regulations 1981/ 578 MS (Passenger Ship Classification) Regulations 1981/1472 MS (Fire Appliances) Regulations 1980/ 544 MS (Fire Appliances) (Amendment) Regulations 1985/1194 1981/ 574 MS (Fire Protection) Regulations 1984/1218 1985/1218 MS (Fire Protection) (Amendment) Regulations 1985/1193 MS (Fire Protection and Fire Appliances) (Amendment) Regulations 1986/1070 MS (Load Line) Rules 1968/1053 MS (Carriage of Nautical Publications) Rules 1975/ 700 MS (Signals of Distress) Rules 1977/1010 MS (Distress Signals and Prevention of Collisions) Regulations 1983/ 708 MS (Automatic Pilot and Testing of Steering Gear) Regulations 1981/ 571 MS (Code of Safe Working Practices) Regulations 1980/ 686 MS (Means of Access) Regulations 1981/1729 MS (Safety Officials and Reporting of Accident and Dangerous Occurrences) Regulations 1982/ 876 MS (Safety Officials and Reporting of Accident and Dangerous Occurrences) (Amendment) Regulations 1984/ 93 MS (Health and Safety: General Duties) Regulations 1984/ 408 MS (Radio Installations) Regulations 1980/ 529 MS (Radio Installations) (Amendment) Regulations 1981/ 582 1984/ 346 1984/1223 1985/1216 1986/1075 MS (Navigational Equipment) Regulations 1980/ 530 1984/1203 MS (Navigational Equipment) (Amendment) 1981/ 579 Regulations 1985/ 659 MS (Radio Installations Survey) Regulations 1981/ 583 Anchors and Chain Cables Rules 1970/1453 MS (Passenger Ship Construction) Regulations 1980/ 535 MS (Passenger Ship Construction) (Amendment) Regulations 1981/ 580 1985/ 660 MS (Passenger Ship Construction and Survey) Regulations 1984/1216 MS (Application of Construction and Survey Regulations to Other Ships) Regulations 1985/ 661 MS (Passenger Ship Construction) (New and Existing Ships) (Amendment) Regulations 1986/1074 MS (Closing of Openings in Hulls and in Watertight Bulkheads) Regulations 1980/ 540