§ Dr. GodmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many emergency or standby vessels working in the offshore oil and gas industries have failed their inspections in each of the past five years; how many of those deemed unsatisfactory were removed from this work in each of the past five years; what other sanctions were imposed upon the owners of such vessels; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. McLoughlinAnnual surveys of standby vessels are carried out by the Department's marine surveyors to establish that the vessel satisfies the Merchant Shipping Regulations and the specific standards required by the standby vessel code. All defects and items of noncompliance are brought to the attention of the shipowners together with details of what repairs/modifications are required before a certificate of survey can be issued. Owners may withdraw vessels if the cost of repairs or modifications renders the further use of the vessel uneconomic.
Details of the number of vessels withdrawn by their owners in each of the past five years are not available to the Department.
Other sanctions which have been applied to standby vessels include withdrawal of certificates pending repair, and delay to vessels until repairs are completed and approved by the surveyor.
§ Dr. GodmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the frequency and duration of inspections of standby vessels operating in the offshore oil and gas industries; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. McLoughlinStandby safety vessels operating in the offshore oil and gas industries are subject to annual 37W surveys under Merchant Shipping Regulations and for reissue of the certificate of compliance with the "Code for the Assessment of the Suitability of Standby Vessels Attending Offshore Installations". This is the non-statutory document which sets out guidance on the standards to be achieved and equipment to be carried on such vessels.
The duration of such surveys depends upon the condition of the vessel when presented for survey and the extent and type of any defects discovered during the survey.
Such vessels may also be subjected to random inspections during the currency of their certificates.
§ Dr. GodmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the(a) types, (b) ages and (c) names of emergency or standby vessels currently working in the offshore oil and gas industries.
§ Mr. McLoughlinThe information is as follows:
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Name Year of build Type of vessel Aberdonian 1977 Standby/Rescue4 Alexandra Tide 1974 Anchor/Tug Supply Anegada 1962 Standby/Rescue1 Atlantic Defender 1979 Supply Ship Barnsley 1960 Standby/Rescue1 Barra Supplier 1984 Anchor/Tug Supply Black Isle 1973 Standby/Rescue3 Black Watch 1981 Research Vessel Blue Flame 1 1976 Pipe Laying Vessel Breydon Eider 1961 Standby/Rescue1 Britannia Challenger 1964 Ex Hospital Ship Britannia Champion 1980 Standby/Rescue1 Britannia Chieftain 1973 Standby/Rescue2 Britannia Cobra 1978 Standby/Rescue1 Britannia Crusader 1976 Supply Ship Britannia Endeavour 1975 Supply Ship Britannia Fury 1972 Standby/Rescue1 Britannia Gazelle 1978 Standby/Rescue1 Britannia Harvester 1972 Standby/Rescue1 Britannia Knight 1976 Standby/Rescue1 Britannia Monarch 1973 Standby/Rescue1 Britannia Stallion 1978 Standby/Rescue1 Britannia Venturer 1965 Research Vessel Britannia Vixen 1978 Standby/Rescue1 Britannia Warrior 1973 Standby/Rescue1 British Claymore 1982 Anchor/Tug Supply Cam Cheetah 1959 Standby/Rescue1 Cam Civet 1960 Standby/Rescue1 Cam Cougar 1958 Standby/Rescue1 Cam Defender 1983 Standby/Rescue2 Cam Guardian 1970 Standby/Rescue1 Cam Jaguar 1957 Standby/Rescue1 Cam Lynx 1960 Standby/Rescue1 Cam Observer 1953 Standby/Rescue3 Cam Panther 1958 Standby/Rescue1 Cam Protector 1983 Standby/Rescue Cam Puma 1966 Standby/Rescue Cam Ranger 1983 Standby/Rescue Cam Retriever 1972 Standby/Rescue1 Cam Scout 1956 Standby/Rescue1 Cam Searcher 1971 Standby/Rescue1 Cam Seeker 1967 Standby/Rescue1 Cam Sentinel 1982 Standby/Rescue Cam Sprite 1971 Standby/Rescue1 Cam Valiant 1939 Standby/Rescue1 Cam Vanguard 1955 Standby/Rescue1 Cam Venturer 1973 Standby/Rescue Cam Viceroy 1958 Standby/Rescue1 Cam Victor 1969 Standby/Rescue1 Cam Viking 1972 Standby/Rescue1 Cam Viscount 1971 Standby/Rescue1 Cam Voyager 1957 Standby/Rescue1 Cam Vulcan 1958 Standby/Rescue1 Cam Zebra 1960 Standby/Rescue1 39W
Name Year of build Type of vessel Colne Kestrel 1966 Standby/Rescue1 Colne Phantom 1965 Standby/Rescue1 Dawn Blazer 1965 Survey Dawn Gem 1958 Standby/Rescue1 Dawn Monarch 1961 Standby/Rescue1 Dawn Saviour 1960 Standby/Rescue1 Dawn Shore 1967 Standby/Rescue1 Dawn Sky 1967 Survey Dawn Warbler 1966 Survey DEA Supporter 1970 Supply Ship Euan 1936 Standby/Rescue1 Exuma 1961 Standby/Rescue1 Far Centurion 1983 Anchor/Tug Supply Far Earl 1986 Platform supply Far Searcher 1975 Anchor/Tug Supply Far Seeker 1986 Tug/Supply Ship Far Sovereign 1982 Platform Supply Far Stream 1982 Tug/Supply Ship Grampian City 1976 Standby/Rescue1 Grampian Concord 1961 Standby/Rescue1 Grampian Dee 1975 Standby/Rescue2 Grampian Eagle 1975 Standby/Rescue2 Grampian Endeavour 1966 Standby/Rescue1 Grampian Explorer 1965 Standby/Rescue1 Grampian Falcon 1982 Supply Ship Grampian Forest 1962 Standby/Rescue1 Grampian Freedom 1966 Standby/Rescue1 Grampian Harrier 1967 Standby/Rescue3 Grampian Highlander 1976 Standby/Rescue1 Grampian King 1959 Standby/Rescue1 Grampian Monarch 1968 Standby/Rescue1 Grampian Osprey 1937 Standby/Rescue1 Grampian Otter 1983 Supply Ship Grampian Petrel 1959 Standby/Rescue1 Grampian Pioneer 1981 Standby/Rescue Grampian Pride 1981 Standby/Rescue Grampian Protector 1983 Standby/Rescue Grampian Quest 1959 Standby/Rescue1 Grampian Rose 1949 Standby/Rescue1 Grampian Shield 1974 Standby/Rescue2 Grampian Sprite 1982 Supply Ship Grampian Sword 1976 Standby/Rescue3 Grampian Viking 1961 Standby/Rescue1 Grampian Warrior 1977 Standby/Rescue1 Hatherleigh 1961 Standby/Rescue1 Kronbas 1975 Anchor/Tug Supply Maersk Mariner 1986 Anchor/Tug Supply Maersk Ranger 1980 Anchor/Tug Supply Maersk Rover 1982 Anchor/Tug Supply Maersk Runner 1980 Anchor/Tug Supply Mary Craig 1959 Standby/Rescue2 Normand Skipper 1975 Anchor/Tug Supply Nova 1969 Standby/Rescue1 Oakleigh 1961 Standby/Rescue1 Putford Achates 1976 Standby/Rescue1 Putford Achilles 1973 Supply Ship Putford Ajax 1976 Supply Ship Putford Apollo 1975 Standby/Rescue1 Putford Falcon 1957 Standby/Rescue1 Putford Harrier 1960 Standby/Rescue1 Putford Merlin 1962 Standby/Rescue1 Putford Osprey 1960 Standby/Rescue1 Putford Petrel 1961 Standby/Rescue1 Putford Skua 1967 Diving Support Putford Snipe 1969 Tug/Supply Ship Putford Teal 1969 Standby/Rescue1 Putford Tern 1967 Standby/Rescue1 Safe Carrier 1968 Supply Ship Safe Transporter 1971 Supply Ship Safe Truck 1976 Standby/Rescue2 Scott Protector 1984 Standby/Rescue2 Sea Sapphire 1973 Anchor/Tug Supply Seaboard Capella 1968 Standby/Rescue4 Seaboard Castor 1941 Standby/Rescue1 Seaboard Illustrious 1966 Diving Support Seaboard Implacable 1964 Standby/Rescue1 Seaboard Integrity 1969 Standby/Rescue1
Name Year of build Type of vessel Seaboard Intrepid 1968 Standby/Rescue1 Seaboard Invincible 1970 Diving/Support Seaboard Sapphire 1980 Standby/Rescue2 Seaboard Sceptre 1981 Standby/Rescue2 Seaboard Sentry 1978 Standby/Rescue2 Seaboard Snipe 1972 Supply Ship Seaboard Sovereign 1982 Standby/Rescue2 Seaboard Support 1978 Standby/Rescue2 Seaboard Supreme 1981 Standby/Rescue2 Seaboard Swallow 1972 Standby/Rescue2 Seaboard Swan 1971 Supply Ship Seaboard Swift 1972 Standby/Rescue1 Shetland Service 1973 Anchor/Tug Service St. Anne 1962 Standby/Rescue1 St. Elizabeth 1962 Standby/Rescue1 St. Louis 1962 Standby/Rescue1 St. Luke 1961 Standby/Rescue1 St. Patrick 1975 Standby/Rescue1 St. Phillip 1975 Standby/Rescue1 Stirling Snipe 1982 Supply Stirling Teal 1982 Supply Suffolk Conquest 1974 Standby/Rescue1 Tempest 1977 Anchor/Handling Tug Togo 1965 Standby/Rescue1 Toisa Conqueror 1976 Anchor/Tug Supply Toisa Lynx 1983 Anchor/Tug Supply Toisa Panther 1984 Platform Supply Toisa Petrel 1983 Tug/Supply Ship Toisa Puffin 1980 Supply Ship Toisa Teal 1981 Standby/Rescue2 Toisa Tiger 1983 Anchor/Tug Supply Toisa Widgeon 1981 Standby/Rescue3 Umberleigh 1960 Standby/Rescue1 Veesea Emerald 1980 Supply Ship Veesea Hurricane 1975 Tug/Supply Ship Veesea Sapphire 1977 Supply Ship Veesea Storm 1975 Supply Ship Veesea Tempest 1974 Tug/Supply Ship Veesea Topaz 1978 Supply Ship Winkleigh 1961 Standby/Rescue1 Woodleigh 1960 Standby/Rescue1 1 Ex Fishing Vessel. 2 Ex Supply Vessel. 3 Ex Cargo Vessel. 4 Ex Tug.
§ Dr. GodmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many new vessels have been introduced into the United Kingdom emergency or standby vessels operating in the offshore oil and gas industries in each of the past three years; how many of these vessels are(a) converted vessels or (b) custom-built emergency or standby vessels; and how many of the custom-built vessels were built in United Kindom yards.
§ Mr. McLoughlinThe number of vessels certificated for the first time for use in the United Kingdom standby industry in the past three years were eight vessels in 1989, 24 in 1990 and 30 in 1991.
Of these vessels the vast majority, some 61 vessels, were converted for the purpose. Only one was purpose built as a standby vessel and this may not have been directly for the United Kingdom industry but may have previously served as a standby vessel in Norway or elsewhere. No custom-built vessels were constructed in united Kingdom shipyards.