Maritime & Coastguard Agency Mulls New Fee Structure

Under the new proposals, most fees including ship surveys and examinations would go up but others will decrease.

All those who might be affected by the increases, whether as businesses or individuals are being asked to give their views by midday on 26th October 2016.

Recovering realistic costs of providing services which fall to the MCA as regulator will help to provide a stronger financial basis for future improvements.

For the past ten years, costs have been rising while the MCA’s fees have stayed the same. Government guidance says the Agency should not profit at the expense of consumers but should also not sustain a loss that taxpayers have to subsidise.

An extensive study has been carried out by the MCA to look at the actual costs of carrying out surveys and exams to provide the proposed new fees.

Two options are being put forward for the period of consultation – the first would be to keep things as they are, the second to increase fees for marine surveys; registration, transfer and mortgage of fishing vessels (RSS); and seaman, training and certification (STC) examinations in line with the full costs of delivering these services.