ETV Task Group - update

4th September 2011

The Emergency Towing Vessel (ETV) Task Group met in Inverness on Friday 2 September to agree urgent action to convince the UK Government to extend the contract for the 2 ETVs in the Highlands and Islands for 6 months. The current contract for the ETVs runs out in only 4 weeks time.

Linking in with local authority Leaders and MPs in the Western Isles , Orkney and Shetland, as well as in Inverness, the discussion focused on the potential for catastrophic damage to the Highland and Islands' waters and coastline should there be another shipping disaster, such as the Braer, with the potential for loss of life as well as long term environmental and economic damage.

MPs were informed that no formal risk assessment had been undertaken by the MCA prior to their decision to allow the contract to fall at the end of September. A decision taken for budgetary reasons alone. The local authorities have consequently agreed to commission their own independent risk assessment to present to the Shipping Minister, Mike Penning and the Chief Executive of the MCA.

Councillor Michael Foxley, Leader of The Highland Council and Chairman of the ETV Task Group, said: "It is unbelievable that the MCA have put forward this money saving proposal to the Minister without carrying out a proper risk assessment and frankly, it makes UK Government vulnerable to highly damaging international criticism given the volume of international shipping around the waters off the Highlands and Islands - not to mention the use of these waters for of NATO exercises. We are confident that an independent risk assessment will convince the Minister that these tugs need to be retained. The facts will simply speak for themselves."

Caithness Sutherland and East Ross MP John Thurso, who attended the meeting in Inverness, has agreed to make further representations to the Shipping Minister, Mike Penning.

He said: "I know all constituency MPs understand the importance of the issues involved and I am very happy to work together with the local authorities and constituency colleagues to facilitate a meeting with Mike Penning and the MCA."

It is hoped that it will be possible to secure this high level meeting as early as next week.