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CLYDE AND HEBRIDES FERRY SERVICES: INVITATION TO TENDER
ANNEX 12
EMERGENCY CALL-OUT ARRANGEMENTS
CalMac regularly provides carriage for emergency services to the islands of Raasay, Iona and Gigha. For Raasay and Gigha the CalMac ferry is the only option for emergency vehicles. To allow it to provide 24 hour emergency cover CalMac has a MCA authorisation for an exception to the Minimum Hours of Rest provisions of the Merchant Shipping (Hours of Work) Regulations 2002.
The MCA has considered the request for an exception in order to allow emergency sailings to Gigha, Iona and Raasay and notes the related collective agreements with the Rail & Maritime Transport Union and the Transport & General Workers Scotland Union. On the basis of this information and in exercise of the powers given in Regulation 6 of the MS (Hours of Work) Regulations 2002, the MCA has authorised an exception to the hours of rest limits in Regulation 5(1)(a) and Regulation (2) of the Regulations to provide emergency services on the terms of the collective agreements. This authorisation relates to the following routes and vessels, or any vessel operating the prescribed route:
- Tayinloan-Gigha: Loch Ranza
- Fionphort-Iona: Loch Buie
- Sconser-Raasay: Loch Striven
The authorisation is renewable on an annual basis upon application to the Glasgow Marine office of the MCA. The authorisation ceases to be valid if any new collective agreements come into force or if there is any material change in the circumstances on which the authorisation is based.
Other islands have alternatives to the CalMac ferry for emergency services access although from time to time the CalMac ferry will be called into use for such purposes.
Whenever the CalMac ferry is called upon to provide such cover for any island (including Raasay, Iona and Gigha) there is a fixed charter cost which is charged to the relevant emergency service provider.
The successful tenderer will be required to provide equivalent cover for the CHFS network. Tenderers should note that they will be required to demonstrate that appropriate measures will be in place.
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