New Ballyshannon Marine Survey Office

The opening last month of a new Marine Survey Office in Ballyshannon by Marine Minister Pat the Cope Gallagher was attended by representatives of local businesses, the Town Commissioners, Donegal County Council and Ballyshannon Chamber of Commerce. The local Parish Priest and a Church of Ireland Minister will also be present. The new office will be operated by a total of eight staff including six Surveyors and two administrators.

Minister Gallagher said that the Ballyshannon Marine Survey Office would be a key part of the Department responsible for the implementation of all national and international legislation in relation to safety of shipping and the prevention of pollution from ship-based sources. The ongoing work of the office will involve conducting safety inspections of vessels and approving designs and drawings for new vessels or modifications to existing vessels. It will also undertake increasingly important port state control inspections to ensure that, not just Irish ships but all vessels calling at Irish ports meet the highest international safety standards



January 2006