Asked by: Lord West of Spithead (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Lord Agnew of Oulton on 12 March (HL Deb, col 1977), what steps they are taking to contribute to decarbonisation of the maritime sector.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton
For a greener maritime sector, Government is investing £20 million into a Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition, to support the UK design and development of clean maritime technologies. This programme builds on the vision set out in the Department’s Clean Maritime Plan and underlines our commitment to addressing emissions from this sector.
Further plans for the decarbonisation of the maritime sector will be set out in the forthcoming Transport Decarbonisation Plan.
Asked by: Lord West of Spithead (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Vere of Norbiton on 23 February (HL13331), whether there are any high frequency coast stations in the UK.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency operates Very High Frequency (VHF) and Medium Frequency (MF) coast stations, in line with our declared commitments for the provision of maritime safety and search and rescue services in the United Kingdom’s Search & Rescue Region.
There are no declared High Frequency (HF) coast stations in the UK, other than access to specific HF frequencies via the Ministry of Defence network for aeronautical rescue.
Asked by: Lord West of Spithead (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have identified a clear timeline for allowing the cruise industry to restart.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton
The Prime Minister set out the Roadmap out of lockdown on 22 February which will take place over four steps. The Roadmap includes plans for a successor to the Global Travel Taskforce, which will consider a safe and sustainable return to international travel.
The timelines for international cruise restart will be determined through the Taskforce, which will report on 12 April. The report’s recommendations will be aimed at facilitating a return to international travel as soon as is possible, while still managing risk from imported cases and variants of concern. Following that, the Government will determine when international travel should resume, which will be no earlier than 17 May.
We will seek to align domestic cruises with the resumption of wider domestic tourism and indoor hospitality.
Asked by: Lord West of Spithead (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Vere of Norbiton on 5 February (HL12745), whether, in the event of the failure of satellite-based and radio-based navigation provisions, ships’ officers should use navigation methods that were in place before the introduction of those provisions.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton
Merchant ships’ navigation officers, under part of their certificates of competency, are provided practical training both ashore and on board to detect and adequately respond to failures of satellite-based and radio-based navigation systems. These responses already include reverting to use of navigation methods other than the satellite and radio-based navigation provisions.
In addition, merchant ships’ navigation watchkeeping procedures contain explicit instructions to routinely employ alternative navigations systems - such as radar for harbour and coastal waters, and celestial navigation for oceans – so as to not rely solely on the satellite and radio-based navigation provisions.
Asked by: Lord West of Spithead (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Goldie on 10 December 2020 (HL10934), what assessment they have made of whether UK ocean-going merchant ships will be able to use the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) in the event of the failure of satellite-based communications, and whether those ships will be able to use the GMDSS to communicate in the event that commercial coast stations are closed.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton
UK-registered ocean-going merchant ships operate under the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) convention which contains common rules for radio equipment installations. The International Maritime Organization’s view is that it is important to maintain medium frequency (MF)/ high frequency (HF) communication systems in case of failure of satellite systems.
The UK relies on the IMO’s assessment of the availability of maritime HF communications in its ongoing review and modernisation of the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS). The availability of coast stations for general communications is considered adequate.
Should a coast station close, nation State search and rescue services will continue to respond to HF GMDSS Distress, Urgency and Safety radio traffic. Should the IMO consider the provision of service through HF GMDSS coast stations to be a concern and that could only be addressed at the international level, then it would take action.
Asked by: Lord West of Spithead (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Vere of Norbiton on 15 January (HL11793), what assessment they have made of the resilience of UK merchant ships’ ability to receive position, navigation and timing data in the event of a failure of satellite provision.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton
Merchant ships’ navigation officers, under part of their certificates of competency, are provided adequate practical training both ashore and on board to detect and respond to failures of satellite-based position, navigation and timing provisions.
They are, therefore, equipped to employ alternate methods and equipment, such as visual and radar lines of positions, and celestial navigation techniques for the coastal and oceanic phases of ships’ voyages respectively.
Asked by: Lord West of Spithead (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Goldie on 10 December 2020 (HL10934), what tests they have conducted with British merchant ships contacting UK maritime authorities using (1) High Frequency, or (2) Single Side Band, radio communications from the (a) North Atlantic, (b) South Atlantic, (c) Indian, and (d) Pacific, oceans since the closure of Portishead radio station.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency has not conducted any specific testing of radiocommunications with UK merchant ships.
Under the Safety of Life At Sea Convention, it is the responsibility of operators of merchant ships to ensure that those ships carry communications equipment that is consistent with the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS), which provides an internationally operated maritime communications service.
UK-registered and regulated ships must have radio installations capable of GMDSS communications to shore for their sea areas of operation. In ocean regions they may choose to have either High Frequency (HF) radio or satellite communications, and in polar regions HF is mandatory.
Asked by: Lord West of Spithead (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to remain a member of the EU–US Open Skies Agreement.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton
The EU-US Air Transport Agreement will cease to apply to the United Kingdom on 31 December 2020, after the end of the transition period. The UK and US have concluded negotiations on a new bilateral Air Transport Agreement, which will apply from that point and ensures the continuity of air services between our two countries.
Asked by: Lord West of Spithead (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of the United States about remaining part of the EU–US Open Skies Agreement.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton
The EU-US Air Transport Agreement will cease to apply to the United Kingdom on 31 December 2020, after the end of the transition period. The UK and US have concluded negotiations on a new bilateral Air Transport Agreement, which will apply from that point and ensures the continuity of air services between our two countries.
Asked by: Lord West of Spithead (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, as part of the package of measures to ensure freight capacity support announced by the Secretary of State for Transport on 24 April, consideration was given to building a new Penzance to Scilly Islands ferry to be used to ensure the ongoing supply of critical freight.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton
The package of measures announced on Friday 24 April provides support for the continuation of vital services to the Isles of Scilly during the COVID-19 pandemic. The building of a new vessel was not part of those considerations and would be a decision for the operators to take.