Editing English Channel (section)

=== Shipping ===
The Channel has traffic on both the UK–Europe and North Sea–Atlantic routes, and is the world's busiest seaway, with over 500 ships per day.<ref>{{Cite web |year=2007 |title=The Dover Strait, navigation rules |url=http://www.mcga.gov.uk/c4mca/mcga07-home/emergencyresponse/mcga-searchandrescue/mcga-hmcgsar-sarsystem/channel_navigation_information_service__cnis_/the_dover_strait.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100831173118/http://www.mcga.gov.uk/c4mca/mcga07-home/emergencyresponse/mcga-searchandrescue/mcga-hmcgsar-sarsystem/channel_navigation_information_service__cnis_/the_dover_strait.htm |archive-date=31 August 2010 |access-date=8 October 2008 |publisher=[[Maritime and Coastguard Agency]] |df=dmy-all}}</ref> Following an accident in January 1971 and a series of disastrous collisions with wreckage in February,<ref>{{Cite web |year=2007 |title=History of CNIS |url=http://www.mcga.gov.uk/c4mca/mcga07-home/emergencyresponse/mcga-searchandrescue/mcga-hmcgsar-sarsystem/channel_navigation_information_service__cnis_/history_of_cnis.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110208013345/http://www.mcga.gov.uk/c4mca/mcga07-home/emergencyresponse/mcga-searchandrescue/mcga-hmcgsar-sarsystem/channel_navigation_information_service__cnis_/history_of_cnis.htm |archive-date=8 February 2011 |access-date=1 November 2008 |publisher=[[Maritime and Coastguard Agency]]}}</ref> the Dover TSS,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Dover Strait TSS |url=http://www.mcga.gov.uk/c4mca/mcga07-home/emergencyresponse/mcga-searchandrescue/mcga-hmcgsar-sarsystem/channel_navigation_information_service__cnis_/dops_-_dover_strait_tss_chartlet.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20101007103452/http://www.mcga.gov.uk/c4mca/mcga07-home/emergencyresponse/mcga-searchandrescue/mcga-hmcgsar-sarsystem/channel_navigation_information_service__cnis_/dops_-_dover_strait_tss_chartlet.htm |archive-date=7 October 2010 |access-date=1 November 2008 |publisher=[[Maritime and Coastguard Agency]] |df=dmy-all}}</ref> the world's first [[radar]]-controlled [[traffic separation scheme]], was set up by the [[International Maritime Organization]]. The scheme mandates that vessels travelling north must use the French side, travelling south the English side. There is a separation zone between the two lanes.<ref>{{Cite web |title=World Marine Guide – English Channel |url=http://www.worldmarineguide.com/marina/united-kingdom/uk-south-coast/article-english-channel |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111026183706/http://www.worldmarineguide.com/marina/united-kingdom/uk-south-coast/article-english-channel |archive-date=26 October 2011 |access-date=5 August 2011}}</ref>

In December 2002 the [[MV Tricolor|MV ''Tricolor'']], carrying £30m of luxury cars, sank {{convert|32|km|mi|abbr=on}} northwest of Dunkirk after collision in fog with the container ship ''Kariba''. The cargo ship ''Nicola'' ran into the wreckage the next day. There was no loss of life.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Tricolor/Kariba/Clary Incident - Professional Mariner - March 2008 |url=http://www.professionalmariner.com/March-2008/The-Tricolor-Kariba-Clary-Incident/ |access-date=29 May 2020 |website=www.professionalmariner.com|date=21 March 2008 }}</ref>
[[File:Baie-du-Havre 14 07 2005.jpg|thumb|upright=1.7|The beach of Le Havre and a part of the rebuilt city]]

The shore-based long-range traffic control system was updated in 2003 and there is a series of traffic separation systems in operation.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Chartlets published by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency |url=http://www.mcga.gov.uk/c4mca/mcga07-home/emergencyresponse/mcga-searchandrescue/mcga-hmcgsar-sarsystem/channel_navigation_information_service__cnis_/dops_-_dover_strait_tss_chartlet.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20101007103452/http://www.mcga.gov.uk/c4mca/mcga07-home/emergencyresponse/mcga-searchandrescue/mcga-hmcgsar-sarsystem/channel_navigation_information_service__cnis_/dops_-_dover_strait_tss_chartlet.htm |archive-date=7 October 2010}}</ref> Though the system is inherently incapable of reaching the levels of safety obtained from aviation systems such as the [[traffic collision avoidance system]], it has reduced accidents to one or two per year.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1993-03-29 |title=Airworthiness Approval of Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance Systems (TCAS II) and Mode S Transponders |url=https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/advisory_circulars/index.cfm/go/document.information/documentid/22190 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230622233635/https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/advisory_circulars/index.cfm/go/document.information/documentid/22190 |archive-date=June 22, 2023 |access-date=June 22, 2023 |website=Federal Aviation Administration}}</ref>

Marine [[GPS]] systems allow ships to be preprogrammed to follow navigational channels accurately and automatically, further avoiding risk of running aground, but following the fatal collision between Dutch Aquamarine and Ash in October 2001, Britain's [[Marine Accident Investigation Branch]] (MAIB) issued a safety bulletin saying it believed that in these most unusual circumstances GPS use had actually contributed to the collision.<ref>{{Cite web |year=2001 |title=Safety Bulletin 2 |url=http://www.maib.gov.uk/cms_resources/SB_%202_2001_%20Ash_and_Dutch_Aquamarin.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090416131027/http://www.maib.gov.uk/cms_resources/SB_%202_2001_%20Ash_and_Dutch_Aquamarin.pdf |archive-date=16 April 2009 |access-date=1 November 2008 |publisher=[[Marine Accident Investigation Branch]]}}</ref> The ships were maintaining a very precise automated course, one directly behind the other, rather than making use of the full width of the traffic lanes as a human navigator would.

A combination of radar difficulties in monitoring areas near cliffs, a failure of a CCTV system, incorrect operation of the anchor, the inability of the crew to follow standard procedures of using a GPS to provide early warning of the ship dragging the anchor and reluctance to admit the mistake and start the engine led to the MV ''Willy'' running aground in [[Cawsand Bay]], [[Cornwall]], in January 2002. The MAIB report makes it clear that the harbour controllers were informed of impending disaster by shore observers before the crew were themselves aware.<ref>{{Cite web |date=October 2002 |title=Report on the Investigation of the grounding of MV ''Willy'' |url=http://www.maib.gov.uk/cms_resources/willy.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090416121715/http://www.maib.gov.uk/cms_resources/willy.pdf |archive-date=16 April 2009 |access-date=1 November 2008 |publisher=[[Marine Accident Investigation Branch]]}}</ref> The village of [[Kingsand]] was evacuated for three days because of the risk of explosion, and the ship was stranded for 11 days.<ref>{{Cite news |date=5 January 2002 |title=Picture gallery: Cornwall's stranded tanker |publisher=BBC |location=London |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/1742910.stm |url-status=live |access-date=1 November 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040411082843/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/1742910.stm |archive-date=11 April 2004}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=6 January 2002 |title=Salvage team hunts for leak |publisher=BBC |location=London |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/1745945.stm |access-date=1 November 2008}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=14 January 2002 |title=Stranded tanker safe in port |publisher=BBC |location=London |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/1759670.stm |url-status=live |access-date=1 November 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030409143424/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/1759670.stm |archive-date=9 April 2003}}</ref>