MMO: Exchanging Experience with Industry (UK)

The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) is enhancing the service it provides to industry through an interchange programme.

MMO employees are visiting a range of organisations, delivery partners and devolved administrations to learn more about day-to-day and strategic activities, build awareness of other operating environments and establish relationships. People employed in relevant industries will also be carrying out similar visits to the MMO as part of the programme.

Representatives from the MMO’s Offshore Marine Licensing Team recently spent time with construction materials and services company, Lafarge Tarmac as part of this.

Under the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009, the MMO is responsible for regulating activities seeking to remove substances from the seabed. This includes dredging for marine aggregate material, as carried out by Lafarge Tarmac, whose product is used in the building industry.

MMO representatives Matthew Kinmond, Craig Loughlin and David Morris visited Lafarge Tarmac’s Marine Division in Chichester. The experience has given MMO licensing staff a greater understanding of how the company operates, the pressures they face and the logistics associated with aggregate dredging.

David Morris, Marine Case Officer for the MMO, said:

“I found it very beneficial visiting the company and learning firsthand about their functions.

“We gained valuable knowledge of the hard work that goes into applying for a licence, such as scoping and monitoring. We also learnt what they thought of the process and could help them to understanding how and why we currently operate as we do.

“It was fascinating to find out how important aggregate dredging is to the UK economy as the building industry is reliant on materials from the seabed.”

Dr Andrew Bellamy, Resources Manager for Tarmac Marine Dredging (TMD) said:

“We found the interchange useful as it allowed members of TMD’s management group to build relationships with the MMO and share insight into how the business is run, why applications are made and how the company manages compliance with its marine licence conditions.

“We are looking forward to visiting the MMO’s offices in Newcastle and expect this will provide us with corresponding insight, particularly in to how the team handles licensing applications and works with industry and representative groups to regulate marine aggregate dredging activity more widely.”

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Press Release, June 3, 2013