EC PROPOSES TO BAN SINGLE-HULL TANKERS IN EUROPE

EC PROPOSES TO BAN SINGLE-HULL TANKERS IN EUROPE
   The European Commission has urged government of European Union countries to ban single-hull tankers in Europe.
   The announcement follows reports that Spain and France were ready to introduce unilateral regulations preventing access to single-hull tankers in their territorial waters.
   Following the sinking of the oil spill of the tanker “Prestige” near the Spanish coast, the European Commission said that it has published the names of “risk vessels” that would be banned in Europe if new European rules on maritime safety had been implemented already.
   The EC asked EU governments to make a decision on prohibiting single-hull tankers at the forthcoming EU council meeting on December 12 and 13 in Copenhagen.
   Single-hull tankers are already illegal in the United States.

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