Seeking a workable funding solution to retain emergency tugs

The Leader of The Highland Council Councillor Michael Foxley has written to UK Shipping Minister Mike Penning to suggest ways of securing the future of emergency towing vessels, based at Stornoway and Lerwick. 

Councillor Foxley, and his colleagues on The Highland Council, are convinced there is a very real risk that withdrawal of the ETV fleet from the Highlands and Islands will result in a vessel in distress drifting ashore, due to the absence of a suitable vessel being able to tow her to safety.  

He said: “I fear the withdrawal could lead to loss of life and an environmental disaster for the fragile local coastal communities and their industries, based in the marine environment.” 

He is also very firmly of the view that suitable commercial vessels are simply not available in Shetland, Orkney, Western Isles or the West Coast of Scotland. “Commercial tugs maybe available in the North Sea, but if available are 1-2 days steaming distance away,” he added. 

Proposals for alternative and support funding include:  

Together with Councillor John Laing, Chairman of the Council’s Transport Environmental and Community Services Committee, he will be attending follow-up meetings with the Marine Coastguard Agency and seeking to arrange a meeting with the new Scottish Government to discuss how they could contribute towards retaining the ETV capability in the north of Scotland.  

He concluded:  “I look forward to hearing from you on how these and other suggestions can be taken forward into a workable funding solution.”

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