The report of a risk assessment, arising out of the use of the Pentland Firth by shipping, has just been published. The risk assessment was undertaken by an independent marine consultant in mid-2000 in the Orkney Islands and the North of Scotland. This follows a 1999 traffic survey which revealed that the level of participation in the voluntary ship reporting scheme was around 56% of all ships, other than fishing vessels, using the Pentland Firth.

The report of the risk assessment concluded that:-

- All-year round cover by Emergency Towing Vessels (ETV) for the North of Scotland region, from the current winter only arrangements, was considered prudent. MCA therefore welcomes the recent decision by the Shipping Minister to accept the recommendation from a review of UK emergency towing provision to increase cover in the South West Approaches, Dover Straits, Minch and Fair Isle Channel.

- Although the closure of the Pentland Maritime Rescue Sub-Centre had been an emotive issue in the region, the report considered that it had been adequately explained in national terms. It was justified by the installation of the new Integrated Coastguard Communications System.

- Calls for mandatory ship reporting or dedicated MCA radar surveillance for the Pentland Firth could not be supported. This was due to the imminent phased introduction of shipboard automatic identification systems (AIS) from July 2000, under the comprehensive revision to Chapter V of the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention.

The report includes chapters addressing general navigation, traffic profiles, collision and grounding risks, risks imposed by specific types of cargoes, cost and benefit analysis, reporting schemes, automatic identification systems, radar surveillance, passage planning and advice, pilotage, HM Coastguard and emergency towing vessels.