Maritime And Coastguard Agency

Ferry Hits Yachts in Heavy Fog off Isle of Wight

A ferry collided with at least two yachts and then ran aground in heavy fog off the Isle of Wight in southern England on Sunday, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said.The Coastguard said a member of the public had called emergency services after hearing cries of help from Cowes Harbour, but after an extensive search by rescue teams it said no one was in the water or missing.Red Funnel, the operator of the Red Falcon Ferry, which had 56 people on board, said it had been refloated. "All passengers and vehicles have been safely discharged," it said on Twitter.(Reporting by Kylie MacLellan; editing by John Stonestreet)

Cargo Ship Collides with Yacht off England

Two sailors have been rescued after their yacht collided with a cargo ship off Dungeness, Kent.HM Coastguard received a Mayday from the yacht following the collision which happened just after 4:10 a.m. local time on Wednesday.Dungeness RNLI lifeboat rescued the two from the yacht, and both crew members are safe and well.The yacht become entangled with the superstructure of the cargo vessel and will need to be released, but is thought to be intact.A Maritime and Coastguard Agency spokesperson told MarineLink that there is no…

Yacht Adrift in the North Sea

A yacht has gone adrift in the North Sea after losing steering in difficult weather conditions, reports the U.K. Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA).   One man is believed to be aboard the yacht which was making its way from Lerwick to Norway when it encountered difficulties around 8:50 p.m. yesterday. The man is in no immediate danger, according to the coastguard.   The coastguard units from the U.K. and Norway are responding to the incident. Responders hope to tow yacht to Bergen, though weather conditions are making it difficult.

Man Earns Jail Time for Hoax Coast Guard Calls

A man found guilty of making numerous hoax calls to the U.K. Coastguard has been jailed for four months, the U.K. Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) reported. Alasdair Munro, 55, from Kyleakin, Skye, denied all charges before Sheriff Scott at Portree Sheriff Court on August 27, 2015, but was found guilty of an offence contrary to the Communications Act 2003 section 127, according to the MCA. Munro had reportedly called HM Coastguard several times on October 30, 2013, claiming a yacht was lost in Loch Hourn. Munro said he had spoken to someone on VHF radio stating that they were lost in Loch Hourn and didn’t know how to get out.

New Qualifications for Commercial Yacht Crews

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) informs that four new certificates of competency for seafarers working on commercial motor yachts will be introduced in Australia from early 2016. After consultation between AMSA the commercial yachting Industry, Yachting Australia, the Australian Maritime College and the Transport Logistics Industry Skills Council, these new qualifications will see Australian motor yacht worker’s skills recognized with an official AMSA certificate of competency. The four new qualifications include Watchkeeper Deck <3000GT Yachts with deck rating endorsement…

Videotel Enhances MCA-Approved Security Training Courses

Videotel has expanded and enhanced its Ship Security Officer and Designated Security Duties Training Course in line with the latest STCW regulations. The Ship Security Officer Training Course is for personnel who are nominated as ship’s Security Officers and the Designated Security Duties Training Course is for personnel on board with Designated Security Duties. Both training courses contain brand new resources and training material, and have been approved by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA).

RHIB Collision Leads to Big Fine

A Cardiff sailing club and its Chief Instructor has today been made to pay £67,000 in fines and costs after failing to take proper care of children attending one of their courses, the U.K. Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) said. The Chief Instructor, Nicholas Sawyer has also been given 180 hours of Community Service. Penarth Motor Boat and Sailing Club, trading as Cardiff Bay Yacht Club, and its Chief Instructor Nicholas Sawyer pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to charges relating to failures in their duty of care for children attending a residential course in October 2010.

Boat Company Fined for Operating Unlicensed Vessels

A senior director of a canal boat company has today been ordered to pay £3,600 in fines and costs after pleading guilty to operating passenger vessels in North Yorkshire without valid passenger certificates. Ian Clarke, and the company Pennine Cruisers Ltd, pleaded guilty to four charges. anal boats ‘Sam’ and ‘Leo’ operate on a section of the Leeds to Liverpool canal at Skipton and are authorised to carry no more than 12 passengers. Carrying more than 12 passengers would require the vessels to be surveyed and issued with passenger certificates if they met the required safety standards.

PCA Celebrates 21 Years

On May 13, the Professional Charter Association (PCA) celebrated 21 years of activity in true traditional style, onboard the classic English motor yacht, Seafin, kindly provided by Warwick Bergin, in the Solent on England’s South Coast. Twenty PCA members joined together to toast the milestone with a splendid lunch and a special 21st birthday cake with candles and champagne. Combining elegance and class with the luxuries and amenities of modern cruising and chartering, Seafin provided a platform for members to reminisce and also to look forward.

Places of Refuge

The concept of force majeure has been broadly accepted since mariners initially encountered the perils of the sea. Persons and governments ashore have been obligated, at least by natural law, to accept and succor those in distress at sea. Concomitant with force majeure is the notion of providing a ship in distress with a place or port of refuge. A place of refuge is where a ship could go to avoid or ameliorate the peril and then depart at the earliest opportunity. While the original need for force majeure and a place of refuge was to reduce the risk to the lives of those on board the ship…