The BPA has welcomed the renewed focus from Maritime Safety Week, which has seen Government launch a new Maritime Safety Action Plan and Port Skills and Safety launch the first ever sector-wide health and safety plan.
The BPA has welcomed the renewed focus from Maritime Safety Week, which has seen Government launch a new Maritime Safety Action Plan and Port Skills and Safety launch the first ever sector-wide health and safety plan.
Commenting, Mark Simmonds, Head of Policy at the British Ports Association said:
“The British Ports Association welcomes the Department for Transport’s continued commitment to improving maritime safety and Maritime Safety Week’s focus on highlighting all of the fantastic work that is already happening.
Safety on both land and on the water is the number one concern for all ports, regardless of size or focus. Whether it’s ensuring the biggest tankers and cargo ships in the world are manoeuvring safely, overseeing the burgeoning use of leisure craft, or providing facilities for offshore energy, our ports are guardians of maritime safety and it’s a duty the industry takes extremely seriously. The industry is highly competitive but when it comes to safety we work hand in glove sharing good practice and data to help us all improve and continue to provide a safe and efficient base for our £14.5bn maritime economy.
The British Ports Association will continue to support the sharing of good practice throughout the ports industry through our work on the industry-led Port Marine Safety Code. We work with the Maritime Coastguard Agency and wider maritime industry to continually monitor the implementation of the code and discuss how it can be improved. The BPA also organises regular workshops for ports to learn more about the code and how to comply with it. We are also working on a number of specific initiatives which we look forward to unveiling as Maritime Safety Week progresses.”
The Department for Transport has launched a new Safety Action Plan (click here for the plan and the executive summary), highlighting some of the collaborative work between Government and industry that has helped deliver a high level of safety at ports and harbours.
The BPA is also keen to work with Government and other industry partners, such as Port Skills and Safety, to spread further good practice wherever possible. We particularly welcome a renewed focus on improving safety in fishing and ambitious targets to eliminate preventable deaths by 2027.
• READ THE GOVERNMENT’S MARITIME SAFETY ACTION PLAN
• CLICK HERE FOR THE PORT SECTOR SAFETY PLAN
Notes
1. The UK’s second annual Maritime Safety Week was launched on 1 July, 2019