ISU hopes to present spill risk reduction plan to Borg

ISU hopes to present spill risk reduction plan to Borg The London-based International Salvage Union wants a meeting with European Union Fisheries and Maritime Affairs Commissioner Joe Borg to present its 'Action Plan for Spill Risk Reduction in EU Waters,' which it hopes will lessen the environmental devastation caused by incidents witnessed right now with the 'MSC Napoli' in the English Channel.
   The ISU said that data collected by the International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation shows that more than half of the world's worst oil spills over the past four decades have occurred in European waters.
   'The scale of the damage would have been much worse but for the action of ISU salvors, who have recovered some 10 million tons of oil from tanker casualties throughout the world over the past decade,' the union said.
   The ISU's proposals include:
   * Commercial arrangements between the European Maritime Safety Agency and salvors, to run in parallel with steps already taken by EMSA to reinforce spill cleanup capability in the EU.
   * Establishing a European Fund for Environmental Awards, to reward salvors who help prevent or minimize pollution in EU coastal zones.
   * Using this fund to compensate and reward coastal communities providing places of refuge for ship casualties.
   * Introducing EU-wide responder immunity for salvors.
   In addition, the ISU Action Plan puts forward 'best practice' guidelines drafted in partnership with the Maritime Safety Umbrella Operation. These include:
   * Standby salvage tugs to guarantee a level of protection in all EU coastal zones.
   * Real-time monitoring of tug status and availability in EU waters.
   * Construction of an EU-wide marine salvage inventory of vessels and equipment available for casualty response.
   'We look forward to a constructive dialogue with the commissioner, who has already indicated that he appreciates the significance of a highly effective salvage service for Europe,' said Hans van Rooij, ISU president.