Dover Straits Emergency Tug To Be Scrapped John Konrad Total Views: 46 January 18, 2011 A Government agency has defended the decision to scrap an emergency tug in the English Channel, claiming it was not the best use of public money. The controversial removal of the Anglian Monarch from the Dover Straits – one the busiest shipping lanes in the world – along with three other UK tugs in September will save £10 million a year. A Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) spokesman said the public should not be made to foot the bill when ships get into trouble on the seas. Dover’s tug is sent out to tow stricken vessels to safety to avoid an environmental disaster – many of the hundreds of ships passing through the English Channel each day carry oil and chemical waste. But the MCA spokesman said it was the responsibility of ship owners to remove their vessels from the Channel, not the Government. “If every time an articulated lorry was to break down at the side of the road the public had to pay to get it towed, people would not be very happy,” he said. “We are confident capacity in the commercial salvage industry will be enough to cover the removal of the tugs.” Continue Reading… Tags: salvage Editorial Standards · Corrections · About gCaptain Subscribe for Daily Maritime Insights Sign up for gCaptain’s newsletter and never miss an update — trusted by our 105,731 members Prev Back to Main Next Stay Informed. Stay Connected. Get The Daily Insights That Power Maritime Professionals Worldwide Essential maritime and offshore news, insights, and updates delivered daily straight to your inbox — trusted by our 105,731 members Have a news tip? Let us know. Stay Ahead with Our Weekly ‘Dispatch’ Email Dive into a sea of curated content with our weekly ‘Dispatch’ email. Your personal maritime briefing awaits! Sign Up Sign In Related Articles Accidents Salvage Industry Showed Signs of Recovery in 2024 The International Salvage Union (ISU) has released its annual statistics for 2024, reve