The European Parliament approved accelerating the phasing-out of single-hull tankers.

The European Parliament approved in very close terms to the Council' agreements the Commission's proposal for a Regulation, made only few days after the Prestige's disaster. This proposals aims at accelerating the phasing-out of single-hull tankers and prohibiting the carriage of heavy oil in single-hull tankers. In particular, the oldest and most vulnerable types of single-hull tankers, constructed before 1982, will be phased out when they reach 23 years of age, as compared with 28 years of age under current rules, and by 2005 at the latest for the most recent ones. The other categories of large single-hull tankers will be phased out by 2010, with a stricter calendar than provided for by current rules. With this new regulation, the European Union will apply rules as strict as those applicable in the United States of America for the phasing-out of single-hull tankers.

Moreover, the carriage of heavy oil in single-hull tankers will be immediately prohibited.

The approval of such an important legislation in hardly 7 months is not very common in the decision-making process of the European Union.



European Commission's Press Release