Ferry company Caledonian MacBrayne is advising all hauliers who use their services that they will fully support any action taken by the MCA when pursuing hauliers who may be carrying undeclared dangerous goods.

CalMac was reacting this afternoon to the sentencing of Barra-based hauliers Barratlantic Ltd, which was fined £5,000 at Oban Sherriff Court. Barratlantic had pleaded guilty to two charges relating to a failure to declare dangerous goods which were being shipped from Oban to the Island of Barra.

On the November 19, 2002, Barratlantic presented a curtained-sided vehicle for shipment between Oban and Barra. During a routine inspection by officers of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), accompanied by Strathclyde Police, the vehicle was found to contain 67 undeclared Propane and Butane gas cylinders. The total quantity of undeclared gas was 1068 Kg.

The unplacarded vehicle was waiting in the queue to join the late afternoon ferry when the inspectors asked for the curtain to be opened. The gas cylinders were found loosely stowed between general goods and building materials.

Propane and Butane gas cylinders are banned from being carried on passenger ships, but because of supply consideration to the islands, procedures are in place to allow the carriage of these banned dangerous goods subject to them being declared to the Ferry Operator 24 hours before departure, so that appropriate safety procedures can be put in place before the vessel sails.

A spokesman for CalMac said: “We share the concern of the court and the MCA. These charges are extremely serious involving a serious risk to the public and, obviously, the passengers and crew of the ferry.  The maximum penalty which the law allows is £5,000 on each charge making a total of £10,000.  The fact that the Sherriff has imposed a fine of £5,000 should be a warning to everyone that shipment of undeclared goods will not be tolerated.”

“CalMac is extremely concerned that any haulier would place the safety of passengers and crew on any Caledonian MacBrayne Ferry at risk. We hope that the outcome  reminds all hauliers of the importance of their responsibility to declare to port staff when dangerous goods are to be transported on our ships.”

 ends

For further information on the contents of this News Release, please contact Hugh Dan MacLennan, Public Affairs Manager, Caledonian MacBrayne.   Tel: 0776 435 4021; e-mail hugh.maclennan@calmac.co.uk; or Maritime and Coastguard Agency Press Office: (023) 8032 9401

Issued:  Tuesday, April 20, 2004  : 1600