To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what (a) supervision there is and (b) checks there are of operators and vessels transporting North Sea oil for refining.
Answered on
25 January 2024
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) is responsible for ensuring that UK Flagged ships are compliant with all the relevant international conventions and any other additional UK requirements. The ships would have appropriate certification with periodical surveys/audits being carried out by the MCA or one of the UK’s recognised organisations. Companies operating these ships are subject to audits on an annual basis by the MCA or one of the UK’s recognised organisations.
Foreign flagged ships would be subject to port state control inspections when they call at a UK port. This is to ensure that they are compliant with all applicable international conventions. The flag state of the vessel is responsible for the oversight of the operating companies.
This is applicable to all ships operating in the North Sea irrespective of whether or not they carry North Sea oil.