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1240/5(4248)
WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BY THE DEPUTY OF ST. JOHN
ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 24th FEBRUARY 2009
Question
Does the Minister consider that the standard of maintenance for engineering matters within the Harbours domain has improved since the transfer of staff to the Transport and Technical Services Department and, if so, would the Minister advise why delays are occurring on general maintenance, such as the replacement of a large chain on Bonne Nuit jetty? Could the Minister explain, if maintenance times have slipped, how call out arrangements could be improved to reduce response times?
Answer
The standard of port engineering maintenance has been sustained and improved during the move of Port Engineering from Jersey Harbours to Transport and Technical Services Department. While some disruption was inevitable during the move of workshop facilities from La Collette to Bellozanne, core maintenance work has been continued and indeed some noteworthy major projects have been completed, such as the refurbishment of the Elizabeth Marina Storm Gate's ram, important maintenance to the West Ro-Ro Ramp and significant repairs resulting from the March 2008 storm.
During the same period a detailed review has been undertaken of the Ports' historic maintenance practices and new prioritised maintenance schedules jointly developed by TTS Engineering staff and Harbour's Operational Managers, using a formalised risk management approach. These schedules reflect operational, safety and engineering priorities, balancing the limited engineering and financial resources available. This, over the longer term, will improve maintenance practice and benefit efficiency and safety.
As a result of the maintenance review, some routine work has been displaced by tasks that have been assigned higher operational or safety priority. This is the case with the work to the mooring chains at Bonne Nuit. Issues with the mooring chains at Bonne Nuit were first reported in 2006. At that time, the chains were inspected by both Jersey Harbours and Transport and Technical Services Department personnel. It was agreed at that time that some small remedial work to stones and mooring eyes was to be undertaken but it was deemed unnecessary to replace the chains until Autumn 2008.
However, whilst the maintenance work on the Bonne Nuit mooring chains was deferred, the condition of the chains has been regularly monitored and at no time were they considered to constitute a risk to the safety of vessels or mariners at Bonne Nuit. Not withstanding this, the work to the chains was completed during the week commencing 16th February 2009.
Whilst the maintenance of Jersey Harbours' core assets has been sustained, the maintenance review has resulted in many maintenance activities being reprioritised and this has meant that some long planned low priority projects have been deferred for a period.
In relation to the response times for "reactive maintenance" over the winter period, Jersey Harbours' Operational Team and Transport and Technical Services Department have agreed a new "traffic light" response time which is now in place and part of Jersey Harbours' Port Marine Safety Code.