NOTES OF A MEETING OF THE RIVER USERS’ CONSULTATIVE FORUM (LOWER) HELD AT 1030 ON
28TH OCTOBER 2005
AT LONDON RIVER HOUSE, GRAVESEND
Present: Captain G Dickins (GD) Harbour Master (Lower) – Chairman
Captain R Stanbrook (RHS) Deputy Harbour Master (Lower) – Secretary
Captain J Parkes (JP) Marine Administrative Services Manager
Present:
John Skellorn (JS) RYA SE Region
Fr. Paul Boagey MHM (PB) Apostleship of the Sea (Welfare)
Ray Collins (RC) Adsteam Towage
Robert Read (RR) Kent Police
D W Chard (DC) London Shipowners & River Users’ Society
R W Shaw (RS) MCA
I M Dunkley (ID) RNLI
Terry Oliver (TO) Thurrock Council
Richard Lukes (RL) T&GWU
David Allen (DA) RAFT
Martin Garside (MG) PLA (from item 4 iv)
1. Apologies for Absence
David DeCoster (EA)
Richard Exley (POTTL)
Tony Meekes (Medway)
2. Minutes of River Users Consultative Forum 29th April 2005
Accepted as a true record.
3. Matters arising from 2.
3 vii) Body recovery liaison improved.
4 iv) PWC recent judgement – PWCs as vessels. DC requested a copy of the Winchester Crown Court judgement.
4 iv) John Stafford not at meeting. Included for information from the RUCF(E).
5i i) MCA to be notified on arrival of P&ONL Hunter Valley.
3 i) RL requested update on river access. GD reported movement over access and developments at Town Pier. Likely to be a 40m pontoon.
4. PLA Sitrep
i) SMS - Approaching end of 4th year. The first cycle of review is now completed and a second 4 year cycle is now commencing. The regulatory framework is also being reviewed
ii) DC questioned whether Pilotage Directions would be in place by end of year before Local Navigation certs in place.
iii) Port Security – Port remaining at ISPS level 1. No perceived increase in threat on maritime side. IMO have closed tonnage loophole for ISPS using local tonnage. MCA now recognising local tonnage certs with some difficulties.
EU directive on Port Security passed at first reading leaving 18 months for implementation defining the port estate rather than the ship/port interface.
iv) Review of tug norms and Code of Practise. Calculations showed that existing tug norms tables were fit for purpose and with the addition of a narrative, have resulted in a new Code.
This has awakened people to some anomalies. A number of berths have agreed to implementation of Code. JP assembling interactive website version to calculate tug requirements. Assessments for vessels to reduce tug requirements. RS asked if there were any further incidents of bollard failure – none had been reported. RL related that the code required bollard SWL to be ascertained from each ship.
DC had reviewed the code and had found some anomalies. There would be communicated to PLA. GD said that there had been no material change to the tables. TPS berthing has proven the code with some ships taking additional tugs. RC asked if bitt failures should be reported directly to MCA. This was agreed to be the method of reporting.
v) Trade to date is 0.4% (133 thousand tonnes) ahead of last year. Fuel traffic is 2% down (210 thousand tonnes) on last year. The fall is mainly due to a reduction in crude oil due to the planned maintenance shutdown at Coryton which meant that crude oil imports were reduced significantly. It has been reported in the press that demand for petroleum storage has been very high recently with more oil been stored with expectations of further increases in oil prices. However, there is no evidence of this happening at the petroleum facilities on Thames.
Non fuel traffic has increased by 2% compared to last year. Unitised, aggregates, coal, cereal, metals and vegetable oil/oil seed are all up on last year.
Angersteins which reopened in June following a fire is still not being used fully.
Forest products which were down in June due to the Finnish paper industry dispute, have recovered in July. The dispute however has affected new trade expected at Stora.
vi) PLA ISO 14000 Certification – Presentation at next meeting.
vii) Canvey Presence – J Window now.
5. Navigational Safety and Consultancy
i) River Incidents
Tommy – 31/05 – Proceeding inwards to Erith suffered steering failure. Vessel towed to anchorage. MCA informed.
Arklow Rover – 05/06 – Inbound for TGT lost control and struck Tilbury Lower lead-in arm. MAIB informed.
Charlotte Borchard/Celandine – 08/06 – berthed at NHCT complained of wash damage after Celandine passed.
Cobham Fire – JP – Sea of Change project and review of Section 9 of Fire Services Act – RS – local influences.
RL noted similarity between replies from Essex and Kent fire services.
TO will speak to Essex to review situation.
MG asked whether the brigades were asked to this forum - To be considered.
ID noted difference in attitude between Essex and Kent fire brigades.
DA questioned whether training for afloat staff should be improved.
JP explained categorisations of incidents and noted a downward trend in the number of nav occurrences and safety incidents. This may be due to improved VTS.
ID noted campaign by RNLI to improve education of leisure users.
MG introduced new Recreational Users Guide with an explanation of the wide distribution.
ii) DMSC – Terms of reference distributed with minutes of last meeting. RUCF are sub-committees of DMSC. JP reported that Fire brigade issue has been raised at DMSC.
New National Standards for Inland Waterways – Second phase of MCA public consultation ended early October. Anticipate further MCA consultation of the draft Statutory Instrument in the New Year. Legislation to be enacted in July 06. PLA Watermen & Lightermen Byelaws will be revoked 31 December 2006 on this timetable.
Late start to consultation has resulted in delay to voluntary implementation of the new BML standard on the tidal Thames. Now expected from New Year, in advance of legislation, thereby minimising period wherein applications might be made for existing BML, to which recent legal opinion gives legitimacy.
PLA will administer the local knowledge endorsement examination on behalf of the MCA. (Some confusion from MCA regarding status of PLA’s application for local knowledge endorsement. Local watermen lobbying hard for endorsement to extend across the whole of the current W&L area and not just central London. Clarification being sought from MCA).
iii)
DA reported that nothing would happen before next June/July. Trying to consolidate training to 3 years rather than 5. RL noted that other ports have no regulations in place and therefore no input. JP stated that other ports may rely on their PEC regime which allows through the 1987 Pilotage Act for regulation of vessels down to 20m. RS concerned that the implementation is beginning to “drift”.
iv) MAIB reporting regs are now in force and apply to vessel down to 8m. MGN 289 & regs to be distributed within the minutes of the meeting.
v) Review of Leisure Moorings – PLA requested response from river users on requirements for leisure moorings.
6. Other Updates
i) MCA – none.
ii) Thurrock – Requested link to web site for leisure safety.
iii) RNLI – no outstanding incidents but kept busy by leisure users, particularly on Blyth Sands. Slight change over operations – Duty operations manager for the three bases. ROSTA to be passed to DPC.
Location of station – possibility of temporary accommodation on the pier but very interested in the possibility of relocating to proposed Greenhithe marina.
JS had requested statistics for resources to be fed into training programme. LCG advised as source of incident information. Designation of number of lives saved taken seriously by Poole and is audited.
iv) Kent Police – PC Reid still Port of London and RNLI liaison. Refresher training still in hand for breathalyser: Gravesend Police station reviewing in place for the foreseeable future.
v) Welfare organisations:
a) New Tilbury seafarers centre - Oughtred & Harrison site now available – bid to be submitted next week. POTTL have given permission for extension. New joint centre to be open end of March 2006.
b) Drop in centre for upper river has new facility in Queen Victoria Seafarers centre as a joint venture.
7. River Events
Gravesend Firework Display – 4th November 2005.
8. River Works
i) Marinas – RHS reported on developments concerning Gravesend Marina, Greenhithe and Thurrock.
ii) London Gateway – awaiting decision by Secretary of State although P&O proceeding anticipating a positive outcome. The new P&O team headed by Doug Oakervee. DC asked whether the 3 month period during which the remaining objections should be overcome had expired.
iii) Town Pier – meeting with Thurrock, Gravesend and Kent next week. Pontoon to be placed at end of pier.
iv) Belvedere Waste & Crossrail. Conflicts over barges to and from Belvedere and Crossrail being resolved.
9. A.O.B.
NiI.
10. Date of Next Meeting
Friday 5th May 2006 at 1030hrs
