Protecting the environment and public health
Falmouth & Truro Port Health Authority
The Docks, Falmouth, Cornwall, TR11 4NR, Tel 01326 211581, Fax 01326 211548, email: fal@cieh.org.uk ,VHF : 16, 69, 9, 10, 12
The Association of Port Health Authorities.
2.02 Suffolk Enterprise Centre, Felaw Maltings, Felaw St, Ipswich. IP2 8SJ +44 (0) 1473 407040.
2.02 Suffolk Enterprise Centre, Felaw Maltings, Felaw St, Ipswich. IP2 8SJ +44 (0) 1473 407040.
The Public Health (Ships) Regulations specify that no person other than a pilot, customs officer, immigration officer or port health officer shall board or leave a ship which is required to obtain free practique for health clearance on arrival in the UK from a foreign port without the consent of an authorised officer of the Port Health Authority. There is a long list of conditions that have to be notified which include the presence onboard of any person suffering from an infectious disease or who has had symptoms which may indicate the presence of such infectious disease. Any of these listed occurrences must be reported to the Port Health Authority at least 4 hours prior to arrival.
Over 300 vessels are boarded annually by officials of the Falmouth & Truro Port Health Authority to ascertain the health status on board. Particular attention is given to ships arriving from infected areas where diseases such as yellow fever, cholera and plague are prevalent. Countries that become infected are required under International Regulations to notify the World Health Organisation (WHO) within 24 hours of them becoming aware of the first case of such disease. Port Health Authorities receive a weekly update on the disease situation within infected countries. This regime of surveillance and control forms the first barrier to the international spread of infectious disease through shipping.
The Master of a ship must report to the Port Health Authority before arrival in the UK the presence of any animal or captive bird of any species, including rodents and poultry or any mortality or illness among such animals or birds.
Vessels engaged in foreign travel must be inspected every six months by approved Port Health Authorities (as designated by WHO) to verify that there are no conditions onboard likely to cause disease. Around 70 of these so called Ship Sanitary Control (Exemption) Certificates are issued annually by this Authority. Rodents on board ships pose a particular problem to humans through the damage they cause to property and food supplies. They are also vectors of disease such as Weils disease, salmonella and plague. If evidence of rodents is found during the inspection of a ship the Port Health Authority is authorised to require the Master to apply appropriate control measures. Although heavy rodent infestations are less common than many years ago the problem has by no means been eradicated and so the utmost vigilance at ports has to be maintained. The scale of charges for the issue of these certificates, as from April 2007, is as follows:
Ships up to 3,000 gross tonnage £100.00
Ships from 3,001 to 10,000 gross tonnage £150.00
Ships from 10,001 to 20,000 gross tonnage £150.00
Ships from 20,001 to 30,000 gross tonnage £230.00
Ships over 30,000 gross tonnage £300.00
Ships over 50,000 gross tonnage £282.00
Disease Prevention and Control
