Darren Wakefield · Prevention of Future Deaths report

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Issued 22 Jan 2016•Plymouth, Torbay and South Devon

Published report and response evidence

This report’s concerns and statements found in recipients’ published responses. Statements are included even where no link to an individual concern is recorded. A link shows an evidence connection; it does not assign responsibility.

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Concerns
0

Raised in this report

Recipients
1

Named on the report

Responses found
1

Of 1 recipient

Stated actions
3

Described in responses

Recipients and published responses

Full report text

This is the full text from the original published report.

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Concerns and recipient responses

Select any concern, action or position to view the source wording.

Concerns raised0

    Stated actions An action is something a recipient says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to a concern raised.3

    1. Department for Transport

      Include guidance on communication between harbour masters and harbour authority boards in updated good-governance guidance for ports.

    2. Department for Transport

      Complete a review of legislation governing derelict vessels in harbours, including consultation with maritime and harbour-sector stakeholders.

    3. Department for Transport

      Publish revised Port Marine Safety Code and associated guidance incorporating advice clarifying harbour authorities’ responsibilities and powers concerning abandoned vessels.

    Respondent positions A position is what a recipient says about a concern when it does not describe a specific action.1

    1. Department for Transport

      Existing primary legislation and common-law duties provide a sufficient legal framework for dealing with derelict vessels in harbours.

      Existing arrangements considered sufficientThe respondent said that existing arrangements were sufficient, so no further action was needed.

    Source evidence

    How this respondent action was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Include guidance on communication between harbour masters and harbour authority boards in updated good-governance guidance for ports.

    Verbatim wording from the response

    “The Department has prepared advice to clarify for harbour authorities and harbour masters their various responsibilities and powers relating to abandoned vessels for inclusion in the PMSC and the accompanying Guide to Good Practice, which is due to be reissued shortly. Also, to highlight the importance of good communication between harbour masters and the harbour authority board to enable effective use of their statutory powers, some guidance on this will be included within the good governance guidance for ports when this is updated later in 2016.”

    Source location

    2016-0020-Response-by-Department-for-Transport
    Page 3 · response
    Published 22 January 2016

    Open published response

    Source evidence

    How this respondent action was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Complete a review of legislation governing derelict vessels in harbours, including consultation with maritime and harbour-sector stakeholders.

    Verbatim wording from the response

    “The Department has undertaken a review as to whether the current legislation relating to derelict vessels is fit for purpose. ‘In carrying out the review we have identified the relevant legislation, consulted the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and sought the views of harbour masters through the United Kingdom Harbour Masters Association. The detail of our findings is outlined below. To summarise, our conclusion is that the existing primary legislation and common law duties do provide a sufficient legal framework for dealing with derelict vessels in harbours. However, we recognise that some of the legislation is old and can be difficult to interpret. We have therefore provided further guidance on this matter in the Department’s Port Marine Safety Code and associated Guide to Good Practice, revised versions of which are to be published shortly.”

    Source location

    2016-0020-Response-by-Department-for-Transport
    Page 1 · response
    Published 22 January 2016

    Open published response

    Source evidence

    How this respondent action was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Publish revised Port Marine Safety Code and associated guidance incorporating advice clarifying harbour authorities’ responsibilities and powers concerning abandoned vessels.

    Verbatim wording from the response

    “The Department has undertaken a review as to whether the current legislation relating to derelict vessels is fit for purpose. ‘In carrying out the review we have identified the relevant legislation, consulted the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and sought the views of harbour masters through the United Kingdom Harbour Masters Association. The detail of our findings is outlined below. To summarise, our conclusion is that the existing primary legislation and common law duties do provide a sufficient legal framework for dealing with derelict vessels in harbours. However, we recognise that some of the legislation is old and can be difficult to interpret. We have therefore provided further guidance on this matter in the Department’s Port Marine Safety Code and associated Guide to Good Practice, revised versions of which are to be published shortly.”

    Source location

    2016-0020-Response-by-Department-for-Transport
    Page 1 · response
    Published 22 January 2016

    Open published response

    Source evidence

    How this respondent position was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Existing primary legislation and common-law duties provide a sufficient legal framework for dealing with derelict vessels in harbours.

    Verbatim wording from the response

    “The Department has undertaken a review as to whether the current legislation relating to derelict vessels is fit for purpose. ‘In carrying out the review we have identified the relevant legislation, consulted the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and sought the views of harbour masters through the United Kingdom Harbour Masters Association. The detail of our findings is outlined below. To summarise, our conclusion is that the existing primary legislation and common law duties do provide a sufficient legal framework for dealing with derelict vessels in harbours. However, we recognise that some of the legislation is old and can be difficult to interpret. We have therefore provided further guidance on this matter in the Department’s Port Marine Safety Code and associated Guide to Good Practice, revised versions of which are to be published shortly.”

    Source location

    2016-0020-Response-by-Department-for-Transport
    Page 1 · response
    Published 22 January 2016

    Open published response
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    Information checked against the published report and official responses · Data reviewed 7 Sep 2026 · About data quality and limitations

    Data last updated 7 September 2026