There seems little doubt that the current regime needs streamlining and will benefit from an objective and rigorous reassessment. We only hope that this is ultimately what occurs.

All the elements are in place. A reputable consultancy firm with a history of government projects has been drafted in to oversee the review and the incumbent shipping minister, Paul Clark, has assured Lloyd’s List that the assessment will be a comprehensive re-examination of the entire system of navigation aids around the UK and Ireland.

But the devil, as ever, remains in the detail. The presence of all three existing General Lighthouse Authorities on a steering committee ostensibly set up to eliminate their own inefficiencies, has already prompted several variations on the phrase “like having the foxes looking after the chickens” from shipping industry onlookers without a seat at the table.

The recent history of the Raven Trading report, which was widely condemned as a botched and cynical attempt by the government to legitimise unpopular tariff hikes, is also fresh in the minds of many.

Then there is the timing of the report itself. The fact that it is due to be delivered just as the country goes to the polls has already raised the question of who will ultimately be there to read the results.

These are all legitimate concerns, but they should not get in the way of the industry’s cautious support for what could still prove to be a very constructive step forward for efficient and effective maritime safety.