Dee Estuary Dredging Alternatives Considered
Environment Agency Wales and the other regulators, the Welsh Assembly Government and the Department of Transport, are in the process of considering alternative solutions with respect to the current applications from the Port of Mostyn, for dredging and disposal of material in the Dee Estuary in North East Wales. All three regulators made an initial decision, independently of each other, that they were not able to grant the applications as the proposed dredge, in combination with the disposal, may cause loss of sand with eventual reduction in area of sand banks by up to 50 hectares per annum. This could threaten the ecological integrity of the site, including its importance as an international site for migratory birds.
UK Reports Details to 2006 Grounding
The UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) issued the report of its investigation into the grounding of the general cargo vessel Thunder at the approaches to the Dee Estuary in August 2006. The vessel had navigated into area without an appropriate navigational chart. Rather, the master used a set of GPS waypoints and the position of a preferred anchorage that had been sent to him in an e-mail from the ship’s agent. The ship dragged anchor during the night and grounded. The master failed to report the grounding until specifically queried about it 24 hours later. This was definitely not what the IMO had in mind when it promoted electronic navigation. Source: HK Law
