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Container Vessels.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 1 April 2004

Thursday, 1 April 2004

Ceisteanna (33)

Damien English

Ceist:

27 Mr. English asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if his attention has been drawn to the danger to commercial and leisure vessels of containers adrift at sea, having fallen off container vessels; and if so, if it is an issue that he will be attempting to address. [10237/04]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Containers aboard sea-going vessels can be lost overboard for various reasons such as difficult weather conditions, collision of vessels, or sinking of vessels. I am aware that such containers, once lost and adrift at sea, represent a danger to commercial and leisure vessels and also that their contents may be harmful to the environment.

Shipmasters are obliged under the SOLAS Convention to report any direct danger to navigation in Ireland's search and rescue zone of responsibility to the Irish Coast Guard. This would include details of any container lost from their ships. On receipt of such a report the coast guard initiates the procedures of warning other ships in the vicinity, notifying relevant interested parties, such as local authorities where there is a possibility of pollution, and taking any safety and environmental protection measures as required. Decisions made about intervention to remove the danger posed by a container adrift, including searching, marking, recovery and destruction, would be agreed, where possible, with the ship owner.

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