Reminder taken from Cambria mht news mht news Sea-Change Sailing Trust WINTER 2014 Since the merger, much of our attention From the Bridge has been focussed on sorting out the contents: merger arrangements, the development I write this shortly after our AGM held of Maritime Heritage Wales Ltd and the From the Bridge 1/2 at our new premises in the annex to the building, launch and exploitation of the HQ of The Marine Society & Sea Cadets Royal Rowbarge, Gloriana. We are now Regulatory Issues Sub Group 3 at 202 Lambeth Road, London SE1 7JW. well and truly merged, our Welsh Apart from dealing with the routine section has a momentum of its own, D P S S G 3 agenda items, we accepted with some thanks to the dynamism of our Welsh sadness the resignation of Maldwin colleagues, and the rowbarge has now Operation misses the point 4/5 Drummond, who has had to undergo emerged from its “chrysalis”, having unless we re-present substantial heart surgery during the last been built, named by HM The Queen on purpose and use two years. Maldwin has been an 25th April 2012, led the Jubilee flotilla enthusiastic promoter and supporter of some six weeks later and then carried MHT - Plotting a course for 5 maritime heritage. An erstwhile the Olympic torch down the Thames the future chairman of the Cutty Sark Trust during during its final journey to the Olympic a particularly difficult period in its fight Park. for survival following the devastating What did the Europeans 6/7 ! ever do for us? fire in 2007, he is also a long-standing The problem with all this activity was President of the Solent Steam Packet that we had little time to pursue our Limited, the charity which now core objectives. To address this, a Conference Report - 7 operates SS Shieldhall. He has been a Forward Business Plan was drawn up in Where Waters Meet trustee of The Maritime Trust for most 2012 which set out a number of of its existence, which merged two strategic tasks: Obituary 8 years ago with Heritage Afloat to form ! ! ! The Maritime Heritage Trust, largely • Tackling regulatory barriers to the Final Word 8 thanks to his drive and vision. We will operation of historic ships !miss him. … contd. !mht news is the newsletter for The Maritime Heritage Trust The aims of The Maritime Heritage Trust are to represent and promote the interests and operators of traditional and historic vessels at all levels of government and also to increase public interest and support for maritime heritage, which in turn will raise awareness of its cultural importance and have wider benefits for economic drivers such as employment, education and tourism. website: www.maritimeheritage.org.uk 2 From the Bridge (contd.) • Raising awareness of Maritime export the Kathleen & May for sale out Kathleen & May as to whether the Heritage in its own right of the country. A temporary stay was blocking of an export licence would in • Promoting maritime heritage as an granted with the result that the vessel effect destroy the very vessel we were economic driver and as a skills and has been moved from Bideford in Devon anxious to save, but the costs here education opportunity to Liverpool Docks opposite the were very much lower, being a smaller • Promoting better opportunities for maritime museum and a charitable trust and less complex vessel. public access and display for maritime set up. Very sadly, Steve Clarke OBE, ! heritage, particularly voluntary and the man who bought her and restored On a happier note, I am pleased to private preserved objects. her, died in December 2012. Richard report that SS Shieldhall was successful ! James, one of the MHT trustees and in her Lottery bid and is now The first task has been tackled on chairman of MH Wales, became a proceeding with her restoration. several fronts; UK, Europe and world- trustee of their Trust and we are, as ! wide led by three of our trustees: John they say, keeping an eye on it with the So where do we go from here? Megoran, Alan Haslam and John help of the excellent Mr & Mrs Grice, ! Robinson. Liaison with the MCA suffered the curators who live on board. At the AGM, Trevor Godbold, as a setback during the illness of David A similar challenge had been made by Membership Secretary, delivered a Ralph, who often attends our trustees’ meeting, and we are glad that he has now recovered. The next three were scrutinised by a seminar held in May 2013 which was also attended by representatives of the Transport Trust, National Historic Ships UK, Maritime Heritage East and English Heritage. The concensus was that we needed to engage with a wider audience, particularly through networking and work on this !has already been initiated. In particular, we have joined forces with the Heritage Railway Association (HRA) and the National Traction Engine Trust (NTET) – and hopefully the Association of Independent City of Adelaide Museums (AIM) – to set up the bound for South Australia Boiler & Engineering Skills Training Trust (BESTT) as a charity to establish standards and support apprenticeships in SOS City of Adelaide group to the presentation suggesting how we should heritage engineering skills. It was export of the Clipper City of Adelaide. redefine our vision, broadening our gratifying that BESTT succeeded in However, the grounds for this were at purview of maritime heritage to include getting outline approval (subject to best unclear, other than as a legal harbours, buildings, skills, support Round 2 of the scheme) and a argument. She had been rotting away industries, participating communities as development grant from the Heritage for many years in Scotland without any well as their art, songs and culture. He Lottery Fund (HLF), thanks to the hard serious attempt to save her and the proposed the development and work and expertise of Henry Cleary, view of many was that the bid by the promotion of our strategy on a regional whom we had nominated to the BESTT Australian city of that name, with the basis. Board. support of the Australian Federal ! ! Government was the best hope for her Our plan for implementing such Maritime Heritage Wales continue to survival and restoration, bearing in proposals will hopefully be rolled out raise the profile of maritime heritage to mind the high costs which will have to during 2014. During that time, I hope a wider audience with yet another be incurred. I should know, having been that we will be able to engage with excellent seminar in October 2013 when for the last fifteen years a trustee of members and other stakeholders for they hosted “Where Waters Meet”, the Cutty Sark, a similar clipper built consultation. Our constituency is very their autumn conference on waterfront only a few years later. As far as I am diverse and it is unlikely we will please and waterside as a focus for business, aware, no explanation had been given everyone, but we do need to take into science and economic development. In by the Group as to how these costs will account the different opinions held by addition to a myriad of knowledgeable be paid for. It seems unlikely that HLF the various parts. Welsh presenters, presentations were would have made another major grant ! made by speakers from Croatia, so soon after funding the restoration Lastly, I wish you all a very Happy New Denmark, Norway and, of course, costs of the Cutty Sark which exceeded Year. England. £50 million. ! ! David Morgan ! It is interesting to note that similar During the last year, your Council of Chairman Trustees was concerned by the threat to concerns arose in connection with the 3 Regulatory Issues Group DPSSG The Regulatory Issues Group is currently If avoidance can be achieved, this The Domestic Passenger Ship Steering reviewing four major issues: removes the substantial set up and Group (DPSSG) meets twice a year at ! running costs plus the necessity for the MCA’s Headquarters in Southampton 1. MCA Proposal for Reclassification intrusive, modern equipment on the to discuss current issues and impending of Lapsed Class Vessels – MSN 1823 bridge of historic vessels. legislative changes which affect ! ! domestic passenger vessels. It is proposed that any out-of-class Installation costs would approach ! vessel would have to be rebuilt as a £20,000 and in addition, crew will have It is attended by representatives from modern vessel, regardless of its to be trained, probably at least six per the MCA; the larger domestic ferry heritage, before being allowed a vessel at about £1,000 each. Also, the operators like Wightlink, Red Funnel passenger certificate. electronic charts will have to be and CalMac; smaller operators and ! purchased as will updates and licences groups representing their interests; MHT is working to safeguard affected to operate. harbour authorities and trade vessels so that a new passenger ! associations. I attend on behalf of The certificate can be obtained. Essentially, This requirement is, we understand, not Maritime Heritage Trust. this was the issue facing welcomed by commercial operators, let ! PS Waverley in 1997 when applying for a alone heritage vessel owners. The most recent meeting was on 5th major HLF-funded rebuild. Negotiation ! November 2013 at which the range of between Heritage Afloat, MCA and PSPS 4. Implications for Heritage Vessels issues discussed included: secured a happy outcome on that !of Low-Sulphur Fuel Oils ! occasion. Due to concerns over the environmental A review of the proposed BML ! impact of sulphur emissions, proposals (Boatmaster) Regulations is nearly MHT shares concerns MCA may hold complete. Amongst changes, the most regarding owners of ‘old boats’ jumping are being introduced to reduce them.