Ferry Safety (Hansard, 3 March 1988)

§ Mr. Channon

Since the tragedy at Zeebrugge, I have been giving top priority to improving the safety of the travelling public on roll-on/roll-off ferries. I have therefore been bringing in a wide range of measures, based largely on the recommendations of the Sheen report, which are aimed at achieving this objective. The action I and my Department have taken since 6 March 1987 is as follows.

First, primary legislation. The Merchant Shipping Bill, which has completed its Committee stage in the House of Commons today, contains several important safety provisions. A ship can be classified as unfit to go to sea for a wider range of reasons. Penalties for an offence will include up to two years imprisonment or an unlimited fine, or both. Charterers and managers will be made responsible for their ships. There will be a totally new requirement that shipowners and managers must take all reasonable steps to secure the safe operation of their ships. The Bill stipulates that masters and other seafarers must exercise all due diligence so that they can carry out their duties without endangering the ship and its passengers; and it explicitly lays down that the duties of a master must include responsibility for the good management and safe operation of the ship.

I also decided to use the Bill to set up an independent marine accidents investigation branch, modelled on the existing air accident investigation branch. It will be headed by a Chief Inspector of Marine Accidents, who will report directly to me. I intend to set up the new branch as soon as possible after Royal Assent.

Second, I have made, or am preparing to make, a number of regulations. From 1 January all United Kingdom roll-on/roll-off passenger ships have had to be equipped with indicator lights and closed-circuit television on the bridge to show the condition of the loading doors, and vehicle spaces must be continuously monitored. From 31 July, these ships will also have to be fitted with self-contained supplementary emergency lighting. From 1 March, these measures have also been extended to foreign ships when they are in United Kingdom ports.

From 29 February, all major United Kingdom passenger ships have had to operate boarding card systems to check and control the numbers of passengers. From 1 April, subject to parliamentary approval, these measures will be applied to foreign ships sailing from United Kingdom ports.

From 9 March, new provisions covering the berthing of ferries and the closing of loading doors will apply to United Kingdom roll-on/roll-off passenger ships. Main loading doors and other weathertight or watertight doors above the water level will have to be closed either at the berth or as soon after leaving as is physically possible. Each operation will have to be reported and logged. 650W Subject to parliamentary approval, these measures will be extended to foreign ships sailing from United Kingdom ports by 1 April.

On 31 July 1987, my Department issued a consultative document porposing that roll-on/roll-off passenger ships should be required to calculate and record draughts and stability before sailing, and that larger ships should be equipped with draught gauges and loading computers. This was followed up on 11 February by the issue, for consultation, of draft statutory instruments which would take effect from 1 November this year.

On 2 September last, my Department issued a consultative document proposing regular checks of the stability of United Kingdom roll-on/roll-off passenger ships, and for the compilation of more comprehensive stability data. Draft statutory instruments, which will take effect from 1 November this year, will be issued shortly.

On 23 December last, my Department circulated, for consultation, draft statutory instruments which would require every lorry to be weighed individually before being loaded on to a roll-on/roll-off passenger ferry, from 1 December this year.

On 22 January, my Department issued a consultative document proposing that special emergency equipment should always be carried, and that equipment should be available and fittings installed to make it easier to move around in a badly-listing ship. These measures will be taken forward together with earlier proposals for the fitting of emergency windows to make escape easier.

On 12 November, a consultative document was issued which proposed that all ships should carry comprehensive operating manuals, and that operators should name an individual in their shore management to be responsible for safety and for ensuring that the manuals are complied with. This document also proposed that log books should be more comprehensive, and that potentially hazardous occurrences should be reported. Draft statutory instruments and a merchant shipping notice, bringing these proposals into effect, will be issued shortly.

I have also asked for draft instruments to be prepared which will cover the loading of roll-on/roll-off passenger ferries and lay down requirements on the securing of lorries and their loads.

Third, we have introduced various measures which have not required legislation. Marine surveyors are stepping up their spot checks of passenger ships, including icognito checks. We have also decided that in future, counsel to the formal investigations into marine accidents will be appointed and instructed by the Attorney-General. In the past, my predecessors have appointed counsel both to the formal investigation and to represent my Department.

Fourth, we have taken steps on the international front. On 9 November the United Kingdom secured the adoption of a resolution at the International Maritime Organisation to give urgent consideration to the safety of roll-on roll-off ferries. The IMO is now considering specific proposals we have made for international measures equivalent to those adopted in this country.

Last October I wrote to the Shipping Ministers of 10 other European countries, proposing co-operation on ferry safety. Officials are discussing co-operative enforcement of our own measures, as well as parallel measures by the other Governments which will affect their own ports and ships.

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Fifth, we have done a great deal of work on ship design. On 31 July last my Department called for full data on all roll-on roll-off ferries built before 1980 to be sent in by this April, so that assessments could be made of how these ships stand up to current tests of survivability in collisions. We will analyse this information fully, and intend to reach conclusions by the end of September.

On 30 October my noble Friend the Minister with responsibility for shipping set up a steering committee, under the Surveyor General, to administer a research programme into the stability and related safety aspects of roll-on roll-off passenger vessels.

We have awarded a research contract to examine the stability of existing roll-on roll-off ships, following collision damage, against new standards which are now before the International Maritime Organisation for adoption in April.

We will shortly be inviting tenders for research into the likelihood that a ship on a cross-channel route would be in shallow water if it capsized, and into the means of escape from a ferry on its beam ends.

We will also shortly be inviting tenders for a comprehensive programme of research to examine ways of reducing the risk of large volumes of water reaching the vehicle deck of a roll-on roll-off ferry, and to prevent such an event leading to a catastrophe. It is my intention that this work will be completed by the end of this year. Model tests will start at the same time, but will take somewhat longer.

We have invited further tenders for the application of risk analysis techniques to the safe design and operation of roll-on roll-off ferries, and we will be placing a contract shortly. I intend that this work should be completed by February 1989.

Sixth, there has been some further miscellaneous work. On 1 December my Department issued an advisory note proposing research into lifejackets that are simpler and esier to put on. We will issue a contract shortly.

On the same day, my Department issued another advisory note on the clear labelling of decks, exits, lifejacket stows and muster stations, as well as on emergency procedure information for passengers. We will be issuing merchant shipping notices shortly.

Last month, my Department issued a consultative document on the Sheen report's recommendation that the criteria for carrying lifeboats on ships that are never far from land should be reviewed.

We have also prepared a paper for the International Maritime Organisation, which includes proposals for improving communications between ships and helicopters used for search and rescue.

This long catalogue of follow-up action which we have already taken testifies both to the thoroughness of the Sheen report and to our commitment to implementing it. Since the report was published, we have been systematically working through its proposals and taking whatever action appears to be necessary. I am glad to say there has been widespread recognition of what we have already done.

There have been steady improvements in ship safety, including ship stability, over the past decades; and the Sheen report made various further recommendations for work in this area. Last year I announced that I was making a further £1 million available for a research programme. This work is now being put out to contract, and I am 652W determined that any results which would allow real improvements in passenger safety will be obtained as quickly as possible.

Finally, we have to remember the facts. Roll-on/roll-off ferries in the United Kingdom have an outstandingly good safety record. Until the loss of the European Gateway in 1982, there had been no major loss of life on a British roll-on/roll-off ferry since the Princess Victoria in 1953. They carry upwards of 20 million passengers a year, and their record compares well with other modes of passengr transport.

But that is no excuse for complacency. I am determined to try to do even better.