99.9% of oil tankers followed pilotage recommendation

24 Sep 13 - 15:04

 

IMO recommendation when passing Great Belt

The Danish Maririme Authority (DMA) announced that the Joint Pilotage User Group (JPUG), at its annual meeting, could note with satisfaction that in 2012 as many as 99.9% of all relevant oil tankers had followed the IMO recommendation on pilotage when passing the Great Belt.

It is the best result since this type of statistics was first drawn up in 2005. Denmark continuously strives to ensure safety of navigation in Danish and Greenland waters. Therefore, it was with great satisfaction that the Joint Pilotage User Group (JPUG) saw the results from 2012 for the Government licensed pilotage service provider (DanPilot), showing inter alia that 99.9% of all relevant oil tankers follow the recommendation of the United Nations' International Maritime Organization (IMO) to take a pilot for ships with a draught of or above 11 metres when passing the Great Belt.

Image Credit: DMA

99.9% of the oil tankers and 96.3% of all ships

"The Joint Pilotage User Group brings together a number of international shipping associations and organizations and stands together when it comes to motivating the ships to follow the recommendation to take a pilot. It is, inter alia, the result of this work that is demonstrated by the 2012 result", says Deputy Director-General of the Danish Maritime Authority Francis Zachariae.

The result of 99.9% is the best result since this type of statistics was first drawn up in 2005. Furthermore, the statistics showed that 96.3% of all ships with a draught of or above 11 metres followed the recommendation in 2012.

Enhanced safety for cruise liners in Greenland waters

In addition, enhanced safety of navigation in Greenland waters enjoyed support in the Joint Pilotage User Group in continuation of the Danish Parliament's adoption of a bill hereon in May 2013, including the introduction of mandatory pilotage in Greenland waters.

Consequently, the JPUG also used the meeting to establish close contact with the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) and the Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators (AECO). These private tour operators are very interested in cooperating with the authorities on pilotage in the waters off the coasts of Greenland in order to increase the safety of their passengers.

The Great Belt is a straitbetween the mainDanish islands ofZealand (Sjælland) andFunen (Fyn). Effectively dividing Denmark in two, the Belt was served by theGreat Belt ferries from the late 19th century until the islands were connected by theGreat Belt Fixed Link in 1997–98. (Source: Wikipedia)