EU to Ban "Rustbucket" Oil Tankers

Four months after the oil tanker Prestige broke apart off the Spanish coast causing one of the worst oil slicks in history, the EU is determined to prevent a repeat of the disaster.

On Thursday, EU transport ministers approved a law, which once confirmed by the European Parliament, will immediately ban most single hull ships older than 23 years of age carrying highly polluting forms of oil from calling at EU ports. The single-hulled Prestige was 26 years old.

"Spectacular step ahead"

EU Transport Commissioner, Loyola de Palacio described the move as a "spectacular step ahead." She added that the EU would push for the ban to be adopted globally by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) by the end of the year.

The commissioner said that although the ban only barred ships from docking at EU ports, the effect would be to exclude them from EU waters, as most vessels travelling the EU coast need to call in for refueling.

"This means they won’t be able to sail along our coasts, as is already the case in North America," she told a news briefing. She added that she was negotiating with Russian and north African states to back the global-level ban.

So far, Spain, Portugal and France have adopted a policy of banning ships they deem pose an environmental risk 200 miles from their coasts. This is however not part of official EU policy.

Erika and Prestige disasters prompt EU into action

The EU ban is a result of two recent disastrous accidents involving rusting single hull tankers.

In December 1997, the tanker Erika sank off the Brittany coast, spilling its toxic cargo and devastating wildlife and tourism. At the time the EU decided to ban single hull tankers altogether, but then buckled under heavy international pressure, and put off implementing the ban till 2015.

Last November, the Prestige, carrying 77,000 metric tons of heavy fuel oil, caused a massive oil slick, when it broke in half in bad weather and released tons of black sludge which washed ashore onto the beaches of Galicia and caused a major environmental catastrophe.

Ban not watertight

This time round, the EU is taking no chances. However the guidelines, which are likely to come into force in July will also exempt certain vessels from the ban.

Ministers agreed for instance to exempt smaller single hull vessels, those up to 5,000 metric tons, which are vital for supplying small islands with fuel for power stations. These will be banned only from 2008.

Some single hull vessels recognized as safer by the IMO, because they have segregated ballast tanks, will be allowed in the EU until 2010. The new EU guidelines will also carry details such as what is meant by "heavy fuel" and "heavy crude" oils, which will be banned form single hull vessels, as they present a greater risk of oil slicks when holed than more modern double-hull ships.

The state secretary in the German Transport Ministry, Wolf Nagel, described the EU decision as a "breakthrough for more safety on the seas." He said Germany, with its natural coastline, had an interest in making deep sea navigation more secure.