Shipowners oppose EU pollution criminality plan

Shipowners oppose EU pollution criminality plan    The London-based International Chamber of Shipping said Wednesday that shipowners are concerned about the draft European Union “Directive on Ship Source Pollution,” which would treat seafarers as criminals after pollution accidents.
   “If the final directive retains its current form, and permits seafarers to be criminalized and threatened with imprisonment for genuine accidents, then it will be in direct conflict with the obligations of EU member states under the MARPOL convention,” the International Chamber of Shipping said, referring to the pollution prevention convention of the International Maritime Organization.
   “The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) clearly states that pollution from ships is not a criminal action unless committed ‘with intent to cause damage or recklessly and with knowledge that damage would probably result’,” the shipowners’ group added.
   “Politicians and rule makers must understand that the industry’s safety and environmental record is set at risk whenever the global regulatory framework is disregarded,” said Rolf Westfal-Larsen, chairman of the International Chamber of Shipping.
   He added that the shipping industry accepts the need for appropriate punishment for deliberate violations of environmental rules and supports the broad intention of the directive, but “only if the relevant EU institutions can make the small changes needed to bring the directive back into line with international law.”
   The International Chamber of Shipping noted the European Union is considering other maritime-related regional policies that diverge from global IMO rules. It cited proposed EU rules on atmospheric pollution from ships and a policy by several EU states to escort IMO-compliant tankers away from their coasts.
   The London-based shipowner group is also concerned about the United States’ desire to establish long range identification and tracking of ships which, it fears, would impose additional carriage and reporting requirements and extra costs on the shipping industry.