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Shipping News and information / Emergency Coastguard Towing Vessel/Tug - Retention?
« on: February 12, 2016, 07:01:25 PM »
I am (obviously) not sure what everyone's views are on the provision by the UK Coastguard of an Emergency Towing Vessel (ETV) for the waters of the Fair Isle/Pentland Firth/Minches North & West Scotland are?
Some people see this as provision as being a vital emergency service and as a result the Shetlandtimes newspaper has started a campaign http://www.thepetitionsite.com/489/611/373/demand-the-retention-of-the-northern-isles-emergency-tug./ to have the ETV in the Northern Isles retained at a time it would appear the UK government are equally as eager to end the provision to save money for the Department of Transport - saying that such a provision should be done commercially & not by the government/state - However the counter argument is that there is no commercial operators willing to provide such a provision on a purely commercial basis.
For purposes of clarification I am sure we are all fully aware of the obligation of a vessel to provide assistance to any vessel in distress if they are able to do so - the discussion is about having certainty of knowing there is an appropriate response available if all else fails
If you agree that the ETV based in the Northern Isles of Scotland should be retained - then please sign the Shetlandtimes petition.
I am sure a great users of this site will be fully aware of the background to the original 3 ETV's (Western Approaches/Dover Strait/West of Scotland/Northern Isles) being stationed around the UK coast which came about in the aftermath of the Braer disaster & the subsequent Lord Donaldson Inquiry & recommendation of having emergency tugs stationed at strategic locations around the UK coast.
Some people see this as provision as being a vital emergency service and as a result the Shetlandtimes newspaper has started a campaign http://www.thepetitionsite.com/489/611/373/demand-the-retention-of-the-northern-isles-emergency-tug./ to have the ETV in the Northern Isles retained at a time it would appear the UK government are equally as eager to end the provision to save money for the Department of Transport - saying that such a provision should be done commercially & not by the government/state - However the counter argument is that there is no commercial operators willing to provide such a provision on a purely commercial basis.
For purposes of clarification I am sure we are all fully aware of the obligation of a vessel to provide assistance to any vessel in distress if they are able to do so - the discussion is about having certainty of knowing there is an appropriate response available if all else fails
If you agree that the ETV based in the Northern Isles of Scotland should be retained - then please sign the Shetlandtimes petition.
I am sure a great users of this site will be fully aware of the background to the original 3 ETV's (Western Approaches/Dover Strait/West of Scotland/Northern Isles) being stationed around the UK coast which came about in the aftermath of the Braer disaster & the subsequent Lord Donaldson Inquiry & recommendation of having emergency tugs stationed at strategic locations around the UK coast.