Anger erupted and spilled over at the MCAs handling of the Workboat Code 3 consultation process at the Seawork conference. Accusations were made that the MCA (Maritime & Coastguard Agency) is not communicating new coding regulations that could have disastrous consequences for small workboats.
There was standing room only at the UK’s Maritime & Coastguard Authority Workboat Code 3 update presentation at Seawork as the Workboat Association teetered close to expressing a vote of no confidence in the UK’s statutory body. Something of a showdown with Continue reading “Angry response voiced at Seawork over proposed new MCA Workboat Code 3”
The US Coast Guard’s Office of Commercial Vessel Compliance has published the U.S. Port State Control Annual Report for 2022. 
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has published its Compliance Strategy 2023/27. It builds on the modern regulatory foundations laid out in its predecessor and sets out six key elements. It is a data-driven, risk-based and proportionate approach to compliance that minimises impact on industry while maximising safety and environmental outcomes.
When Thai-flagged oil products tanker Smooth Sea 22 (IMO 9870991) suffered an explosion and a subsequent fire on 17th January, few realised that the event would expose a case of potential ship-identity fraud.
The House of Commons parliamentary debate opened with Michael Fabricant MP setting out the unique contribution the waterways make from the economic impact through to the huge social and environmental benefits to society. The debate heard how the outcome of the UK Government’s review of the funding contract beyond 2027 is awaited. The current grant is fixed until 2027 and is declining both in real terms and as a proportion of total income. MPs spoke about how, with the increased threat from climate change events not envisaged in 2012, expenditure is increasing on the core national infrastructure. 
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (
The Department of Business Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has published an update to the list of designated standards to the RCR (Recreational Craft Regulations). It has stated its intentions to add the following two ISO standards to the list of designated standards to the Recreational Craft Regulations (RCR).
