Better monitoring in Danish waters
MARITIME SERVICE: EU strives to make shipping safer and more efficient. One of the latest measures consists in stricter provisions in the Directive on the Community Vessel Traffic Monitoring and Information System. The amendments have just been transposed into Danish law.
The Order will help improve the authorities' possibilities of fast intervention in connection with accidents, incidents or potentially dangerous situations at sea, including search and rescue operations. Thus, ships calling at European ports or passing through European waters must report a number of data to a common European data system, which means that the authorities will acquire better knowledge about the ships calling at Danish ports or passing the Great Belt VTS.
The new Order implies that the notifications and reports to be made by ships calling at Danish ports are extended. In addition, a requirement is introduced for fishing vessels to be equipped with an Automatic Identification System (AIS) similar to that already fitted in the major part of the commercial fleet. Finally, a new intervention regime is introduced in connection with navigation in special and difficult ice conditions.
The Order has no. 1021 of 28 August 2010.
Annexed to the Order is the Danish Maritime Authority's consolidated version of the two EU Directives forming the basis of the Order.
In order to compile the requirements used by the Danish Maritime Authority in connection with its inspections, the new reporting obligations stipulated in the amended Port State Control Directive (Directive 2009/16/EC) have also been incorporated into the Order.
The Order will become effective on 30 November 2010.
Source: Danish Maritime Authority / maritimedanmark.dk
