Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with representatives of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency on the Port State Control inspection of the Irish Ferries' vessel, Isle of Inishmore, which is planned to operate on the Dover to Calais route later in 2021.
The Isle of Inishmore is not due a Port State Control (PSC) inspection until 30 November 2021. However, when the vessel formally declares its intention to operate on the new route, the French maritime authorities are obliged to carry out a pre-commencement inspection under the EU ferry directive (2017/2110).
The MCA will carry out a PSC inspection on or after 30 November at an appropriate time in Dover.