Published on: 17 February 2022
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has released a new High Speed Offshore Service Craft Code along with a new legal framework via Statutory Instrument (SI) – Merchant Shipping (High Speed Offshore Service Craft) Regulations 2022 (SI 2022 No.41).
The UK has the largest installed capacity of offshore wind, with around 10GW currently in operation off our coasts. The Government’s commitment made in October 2020 towards net zero emissions by 2050 was in support for more green energy and its growing wind farm industry.
To support this infrastructure, numerous new designs of marine vessels have been developed and have been in service. While these do not fully comply with the provisions of the international conventions relating to conventional ships built of steel, they have demonstrated an ability to operate at an equivalent level of safety when engaged on specific voyages under restricted operational conditions.
To better support the industry and allow more innovative designs that better suit this emerging industry whilst still ensuring a high level of safety the MCA along with industry has developed the new HSOSC Code adopting the principles of the Special Purpose Ships (SPS) Code published by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and Section 9 of Marine Guidance Note MGN 515 for “Walk to Work” type operations, taking into consideration the particular characteristics of transporting and transferring trained and fit personnel at sea, to offshore renewable energy installations.
This new code applies to HSOSC which:
- is either a United Kingdom high speed craft or any other high speed craft in United Kingdom waters,
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is operating –
- at sea, or in Category A, B, C or D waters,
- is of less than 500 tons gross tonnage,
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is engaged in an operation to transport the following persons from one place to another, including any part of that operation where they are not on board —
- at least one industrial personnel, and
- no more than 12 persons who are not industrial personnel or the master or crew,
- is not, during that operation, carrying more than 60 persons on board at any point in time, whoever those persons are, and is not:
- a pleasure vessel,
- a warship, naval auxiliary or another craft owned or operated by a State and used, for the time being, only on government non-commercial service,
- propelled other than by mechanical means,
- a wooden craft of primitive build,
- a fishing vessel, or
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engaged in a voyage from a port in one State to a port in another State
The full code can be downloaded here
