Consultation outcome report
Updated 14 March 2022
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Section 1: Introduction
1) The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), an executive Agency of the Department for Transport (DfT), carried out a public consultation from 27 January and 3 March 2022 on the updating of Merchant Shipping Notice (MSN) 1747(M) - Sea Areas associated with the Merchant Shipping (Passenger Ships on Domestic Voyages) Regulations 2000.
2) The intention of the MSN is to update the original version of MSN 1747(M) to reflect changes in raw sea state data and the UK’s exit from the European Union (EU).
3) In particular, a change in the boundaries of one Sea Area has been proposed by government.
Section 2: Consultation
4) The consultation was carried out between 27 January and 3 March 2022. It can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/consultation-to-update-msn-1747m-with-msn-1747m-amendment-1
5) The consultation was posted on GOV.UK so was available to all, but a number pf persons and organisations were personally notified of the launch of the consultation. This was a mix of industry members of the relevant government / industry safety groups, and ship operators. Most did not respond.
6) Two responses to this consultation were received. These were from: one small shipping company and one government body.
Section 3: Consultation outcome
7) The following questions were posed as part of the consultation, and respondents were also given the opportunity to make comments in free text.
a) Do you believe that the MSN is accurate?
No consultees responded to this.
b) Do you believe the MSN is free of typographical errors?
One consultee responded to this, saying “No”. pointing out a couple of typographical errors.
c) Do you agree with any non-statutory advice or statements given in the MSN?
No consultees responded to this.
d) Do you believe that the content of this MSN is expressed clearly?
No consultees responded to this.
e) Do you believe that the proposal to amend the seas around Rathlin Island (Annex 1, box 9, Northern Ireland) is in keeping with the Met Office Report?
No consultees responded to this.
f) Do you believe there is any evidence which would give rise to re-categorisation of any other areas than Annex 1, box 9, Northern Ireland, and what evidence do you see I the Met Office Report to support this?
One consultee responded to this, offering evidence for a change. However, the government did not feel the evidence provided was conclusive enough on its own and has held it over for further investigation.
Section 4: Next steps
8) The government will finalise the revised MSN with a view to publishing it before the end of the first quarter of 2022.