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The European Union, which in
January, acted unilaterally to ban
single hull tankers carrying heavy
fuel through their waters, is now
looking at introducing mandatory
double-walled bunker tanks for all
new vessels, including
containerships.
In a recent draft report to the
European Parliament on the European
Commission's double-hull initiative,
rapporteur Wilhelm Ernst Piecyk said
that cargo ships often carried heavy
fuel oil in quantities which
considerably exceeded the cargo
volumes of smaller oil tankers.
Earlier this year, the EU, in an
attempt to prevent environmental
disasters like the oil spill off the
coast of northwest Spain, announced
the ban on single hull tankers,
ahead of the deadline set by the
International Maritime Organisation
for such tankers.
The ban, that was criticized by
shipping lines and ship owners
bodies worldwide, including the
Malaysian Shipowners' Association,
was initiated as as part of a
package of measures rushed through
by EU transport ministers in the
wake of the sinking of the Prestige
oil tanker which has secreted
millions of gallons of crude onto to
Spain's Atlantic beaches in November
last year.
Under the agreement, the 15 EU
nations will also phase in a total
ban on single-hulled vessels over 15
years old.
The ban is likely to come into force
in 2010.
The EU plans to set up "safety
zones" off limits to dangerous ships
and introduce a 1 billion euro (US$1
billion) fund to help areas stricken
by oil slicks.
The Prestige spill has tarred some
180 beaches on Spain's Atlantic
coast.
Over 15,000 birds an unknown number
of fish and shellfish have been
killed and maimed. The spill is also
threatening the Portuguese and
French coastlines.
The Bahamas-flagged Prestige leaked
oil from Nov. 13, when its hull
ruptured in a storm of the coast of
Spain's scenic Galicia region. On
Nov. 19, it broke in half and sank. |
