§ Mr. MaclennanTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what steps have been taken to monitor the traffic of vessels in the Minch since publication of the Donaldson report; and if he will make a statement; [21420]
(2) what assessment he has made of the number of large vessels currently using the deep water route in preference to the Minch. [21421]
§ Mr. NorrisThese are operational matters for the Marine Safety Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from R. M Bradley to Mr. Robert Maclennan, dated 4 May 1995:
The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your Questions about monitoring tanker traffic in the Minch.In the light of the BRAER grounding in January 1993, the International Maritime Organisation adopted a number of ship routeing and reporting recommendations for areas around the United Kingdom coast, all of which entered into force in late November of that year. Laden tankers over 10,000grt are recommended to use the Deep Water Route to the west of the Hebrides rather than the Minch, except in times of adverse weather, when using the sheltered waters of the Minch is a safer option for the ship and the marine environment. At the same time, all tankers intending to use the minch should report their movements to the HM Coastguard station at Stornoway.256WThis Agency has systematically analysed those ship movement reports to check for infringements of the international routeing recommendation. From January 1994 to March 1995 the Agency analysed reports from 814 ships, 603 of which were tankers. Of those tankers, 203 were laden and 53 of those were over 10,000grt. In only one case—in January 1994—was the routeing recommendation for the Minch infringed. The Agency took immediate action with the owners.Lord Donaldson's report into measures to prevent pollution from merchant ships welcomed the Agency's monitoring of tanker traffic in the Minch and supported the retention by Masters of the option to use the Minch in times of adverse weather. The Agency is continuing to monitor closely the ship movement reports received by Stornoway Coastguard, and to follow-up any reported sightings of tankers that it receives periodically from other local sources.The Agency is taking forward Lord Donaldson's recommendation that mobile radar should be used to survey the density and type of maritime traffic around the United Kingdom coast, and to ensure compliance with existing ship routeing and reporting recommendations. Planning is at an early stage, but it is envisaged that the waters of the Minch will be surveyed in this way over the coming year.