Written question asked by Lord Laird (Crossbench), in the House of Lords. It was answered by Lord Adonis (Labour) on Wednesday, 17 June 2009.

Shipping: Ferry Operators

Question: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Lord Adonis on 9 June (WA 147-8), what was meant by "had the MCA issued the correct paperwork, the passenger certificate would have been valid for a full year through to 18 September 2008".

Answer: The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) issued a short-term passenger certificate, valid for one month, for the MV "CANNA" on 12 September 2008, following an in water survey. No request was made to the MCA for a temporary passenger-carrying certificate in September 2008. An error occurred in the re-issue of passenger certification in July 2008 to take account of a change of operator to the current operator. This certification should have reflected previous changes, unrelated to the current operator, which would have confirmed that the certification was valid until 18 September 2008, rather than 31 August 2008. On 5 September 2008 the operators of the MV "CANNA" informed the MCA that the vessel could not be surveyed out of water before 18 September 2008, the date that the operators believed their survey window expired based on the assumption that the certificate would be valid for 12 months from the date of the last survey. It was during the request for the out of water survey that the basis for confusion was revealed. The surveys on this vessel were current even if the paperwork did not always reflect this. Following the out of water survey, a new five-year passenger certificate was issued on the 5 October 2008.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 4226; 711 c216-7WA
Session: 2008-09
Related items: Shipping: Ferry Operators
Tuesday, 9 June 2009
Written questions
House of Lords
Subjects: Certification Ferries Passengers Maritime and Coastguard Agency Rathlin Island
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk