§ Mr. SpearingTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will undertake a study of the advantages of requiring any bulk oil tanker over a specific capacity bound for discharge at a port in the United Kingdom to be equipped with a bow thruster of minimum power related to its gross tonnage. [21138]
§ Mr. NorrisWe are continually assessing the benefits of oil tanker design and specification, both within the Department of Transport and within the International Maritime Organisation, in which the Government take an 135W active role. Although bow thrusters can improve the manoeuvring in port, we have no evidence to indicate that they offer sufficient advantages to justify a study into whether they should be a requirement for all oil tankers entering UK ports.