MCA

UK MCA has issued a Marine Guidance Note to introduce the new Hovercraft Code which has been developed for Light and Small hovercraft operating in the United Kingdom or United Kingdom Waters (both at sea and on inland waterways).

Currently all hovercraft used for reward must be built to the requirements of the High Speed Craft (HSC) Code. The Hovercraft Code introduces a voluntary set of standards appropriate for small commercial hovercraft, which are equivalent to the HSC requirements.

Where a hovercraft is surveyed and certificated under, and continues to comply with, this Code, it is exempted from those parts of the Hovercraft (General) Order 1972 and the Merchant Shipping (High Speed Craft) Regulations 2004 which require the hovercraft to be surveyed and certificated against the British Hovercraft Safety Requirements (BHSR) and the IMO High Speed Craft Code. The General Exemption is annexed to this MGN.

Continue reading “MCA issues Hovercraft Code Marine Guidance Note”

The British Marine Technical team, working with the RYA, has completed the first drafting of the review of the SCV technical specifications as laid down in MGN 280, the Code of Practice for the construction, machinery, stability, operation, manning and examination of small commercial vessels less than 24m load line length that carry 12 or fewer passengers.

This draft can be found on the British Marine website for those companies or individuals who wish to read through and provide feedback on the proposed text. The cut-off date for comments is 5 October 2015. All comments will be compiled and a Working Group of interested parties will then be asked to take part in a one or two day meetings at Marine House at the end of October, prior to the first draft being submitted to the MCA for discussion.

Continue reading “MCA small commercial vessel code of practice – yellow and blue codes”