EU Adopts Accelerated Phase-Out of Single-Hull Tankers

Taking a page from OPA 90, the European Union has officially adopted its unilateral plan for accelerated phase-out of single-hull tankers. The regulation was published in the October 1 edition of the Official Journal of the European Union and comes into effect on October 21, 2003. It provides for, among other things, the immediate ban on transport of heavy grades of oil in single-hull oil tankers of 5,000 dwt or above to or from EU ports and the accelerated phase-out of single-hull oil tankers on a schedule tied to the ship’s MARPOL category. The impact of this unilateral action on the upcoming IMO meeting to review the MARPOL phase-out schedule is unclear at this time.