SEAFARERS CHARITY RECEIVES FUNDING FOR SAFETY PROJECT

Seafarers Charity receives funding for safety project. The Seafarers’ Charity – a leading provider of grants and support to the maritime community – has received funding for a pilot project to develop safety management onboard fishing vessels to the standard of the Fishing Safety Management Code. The new service is called Fishing First Safety Management by SafetyFolder and aims to improve safety in the UK fishing fleet and, at the same time, increase supply chain transparency.

The Seafarers’ Charity’s Chief Executive, Catherine Spencer said:

‘I am delighted that funding has been secured for this pilot project as the addition of an auditable safety standard will transform vessel safety in the fishing industry. The Seafarers’ Charity is improving the lives of seafarers every day and ensuring fishers can work and return home safely from voyages without experiencing harm or accidents is a big part of that.’

The Seafarers’ Charity is coordinating this pilot project which has secured funding support from the Marine Management Organisation (MMO), Fisheries and Seafood Scheme which has awarded £99,780 and the Trinity House DfT Maritime Safety Fund which has awarded £35,500. An industry steering group has been established and the development of safety management on board fishing vessels is fully supported by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), which regulates and certifies UK fishing vessels.

The Seafarers’ Charity will take forward a pilot project in the South West of England for up to 50 fishing vessels to receive professional support to develop their safety management practices, the project will support operators to demonstrate compliance with ILO 188C Work In Fishing Convention by meeting the requirements of the Fishing Safety Management Code (MGN 596F), published by the MCA in 2017.

SafetyFolder already supports the majority of UK fishing vessels with a free online safety management system