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French Beaches News

29 Nov 2020

UK, France Sign Deal to Stop Illegal Migration Across Channel

© Roman Babakin / Adobe Stock

Britain and France signed a new agreement to try to stop illegal migration across the Channel on Saturday, upping patrols and technology in the hope of closing off a dangerous route used by migrants to try to reach the UK on small boats.UK interior minister Priti Patel said that under the deal, the number of officers patrolling French beaches would double, and new equipment including drones and radar would be employed.This year, hundreds of people, including some children, have…

04 Jun 2004

Coast Guard Reflects on 60th Anniversary of D-Day Participation

“Going into the beach it looked like the beach was covered with driftwood—when we got close we realized the beach was covered with bodies,” noted U.S. Coast Guard Radioman 3rd Class Leroy C. Bowen, Jr., crewman aboard LCI 83 that landed Allied forces and extracted wounded from French beaches 60 years ago Sunday. Bowen’s landing craft was one of many Coast Guard-manned ships that participated in the D-Day landings June 6, 1944—a day that would prove to be one of the bloodiest in the Coast Guard’s long history. According to Coast Guard Historian Scott Price, of the 99 Coast Guard-manned warships that participated during D-Day missions, six were lost and many others seriously damaged; 18 Coast Guardsmen died and 38 others wounded. VADM James D.

20 Apr 2000

RINA Strikes 22 Ships From Register

RINA, the Italian shipping standards body, which has taken enormous heat for passing as seaworthy the tanker Erika which broke up off France, has struck 22 ships off its books. "RINA has withdrawn class on 22 ships, totaling 394,100 gross tons (gt), during this year to the end of March," the ship classification society said. The purge was the result of internal checks set up after the loss last December of the 25-year-old tanker Erika which heavily polluted hundreds of French beaches. Ships were barred from classification where owners were unwilling or unable to reach high enough standards, RINA spokesman Gianfranco Damilano said. The disclassed ships included six oil tankers and two bulk carriers all over 25 years old, he said.

12 May 2000

Shipping Groups: A Need For Better Policing

The eight main shipping organizations said they have agreed the need to set up better self-policing and accident investigation procedures after the Erika pollution incident off France. A working group to review links in the chain of responsibility to prevent disasters like the Erika will be set up, the shipping organizations said. The 25 year old tanker Erika broke in two off France last December causing massive pollution to western French beaches after it spilled about 10,000 tons of its fuel oil cargo. The review would address issues of transparency, internal and external investigation procedures and accountability of industry self-policing, the organizations said. Weaknesses in all these elements of the industry have been criticized since the Erika sank.

21 Jul 2000

IMO OKs Ship Reporting System For English Channel

A new ship reporting system to help prevent collisions is being planned for the English Channel in the wake of the Erika tanker spill earlier this year, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) said. The system would make it easier to track and communicate with vessels in the central English Channel, IMO said. The proposal follows the sinking of the 25 year old tanker Erika in December which caused widespread pollution to French beaches, the UN agency for maritime affairs said. "(The system) should make possible a significant increase in safety, efficiency of navigation and environmental protection in and around the traffic separation system in operation off Les Casquets," IMO said. The scheme will apply to all ships over 300 gross tons entering the area.

09 Jun 2000

Are Tankers Setting A Course For Stability?

To characterize as stable the business of carrying oil aboard tankers of any size or route would be foolhardy at best. But as curious as the market's undulations may appear to those on the outside, it is in fact the market's instability that serves as stability. Owning and operating a fleet of petroleum carrying tankers has undoubtedly become a much more scrutinized and legislated endeavor than any time past. The eyes of the world, individual nations and even specific "environmentally sensitive" regions are on constant watch, prepared to strike with the broad sword of legal action in the unlikely event of an incident or catastrophe. The heightened sense of legal responsibility has undoubtedly changed, and will continue to shape the tanker business.

15 Jun 2000

Setting a Course For Stability?

To characterize the business of carrying oil aboard tankers of any size or route as stable — would be foolhardy at best. But as curious as the market's undulations may appear to those on the outside, it is in fact the market's instability that serves as stability. Owning and operating a fleet of petroleum carrying tankers has undoubtedly become a much more scrutinized and legislated endeavor than any time past. The eyes of the world, individual nations and even specific "environmentally sensitive" regions are on constant watch, prepared to strike with the broad sword of legal action in the unlikely event of an incident or catastrophe. The heightened sense of legal responsibility has undoubtedly changed, and will continue to shape the tanker business.

24 Feb 2000

INTERTANKO: Use Erika to positive effect

The breakup of the Erika off the French coast in severe weather on 12 December 1999 and the subsequent spillage of 14,000 tonnes of her heavy fuel oil cargo have prompted a reaction of a magnitude not experienced since the grounding of Exxon Valdez in 1989. The popular media had two bites of the cherry - the first when the ship sank and the second, two weeks later, when her cargo began washing up on French beaches. For the maritime press, there has been no hiatus. The coverage has been continuous and abundant since the 24-year old ship sank. Furthermore, it shows no sign of abating. Accusations have been leveled at just about every conceivable party - from owner, classification society, flag state and charterer to port state, insurer and shipbuilder.

30 Dec 1999

French PM Tours Oily Coast, Vows Safety Crackdown

French Prime Minister Lionel Jospin, touring beaches devastated by oil seeping from a sunken tanker off the Atlantic coast, pledged to press for stricter global safety rules. Jospin, who cut short a trip to Egypt to return to France as it was hit by violent storms that killed some 60 people and drove two separate oil slicks to its coastline, vowed to use the French presidency of the European Union next year to push for new laws. "We are going to draw the lessons for international regulations," he said. "We are going to make precise proposals. French media reported that the oil slicks, which seeped from the tanker Erika after it sank on Dec. 12, were now threatening 250 miles of France's rugged Atlantic coast, which is heavily dependent on fishing and tourism.

28 Jan 2000

Owner To Shippers: Shape Up Or Face Draconian Laws

Oil companies and the tanker industry deserve to be hit by Draconian legislation if they do not clean up their act, according to a major shipowner. A series of simple measures would eradicate most of the defects which led to the loss of the Erika, said Lars Carlsson, president of Swedish tanker operator Concordia Maritime. "If we in the shipping industry abstain from introducing...steps which can so easily reduce most of the hazards in sea transportation, we deserve what will undoubtedly hit us: legislation from authorities which may be both unpredictable and inefficient," he said. Heavy fuel oil from the TotalFina-chartered Erika polluted French beaches after the ship broke in two in December. Structural failure was said to be the likely cause of the loss by a preliminary French report.

28 Jan 2000

Key Mideast Markets Surge On Erika Factor

Mideast-Far East crude oil tanker freight rates leapt skywards for the second day in a row as the Erika-effect took hold, shipping brokers said on Jan. 21. Japan-bound VLCCs added 10 Worldscale points to W65 ($7.00 per ton) in a two-day surge from W48 ($5.25). A rush of charterers to secure modern tonnage for February cargoes was squeezing the availability of quality ships in the region. "It is the Erika factor combined with a rush to fix February cargoes that has caused this spike in rates," a broker said. Structural failure is suspected for the TotalFina-chartered 25 year old Erika breaking in two in December and spilling viscous fuel oil on French beaches. Shipbroker E.A.

01 Feb 2000

Exxon Tightens Tanker Chartering Rules

Exxon-Mobil has toughened its policy on using tankers more than 20 years old, shipbrokers said. The company has adopted a policy of accepting vessels more than 20 years old only on a case-by case basis after senior chartering managers' approval. The move mirrors several oil companies' increasing reluctance to charter older tankers in the wake of the break up of the fuel oil tanker Erika in December. Heavy pollution of French beaches resulted from the sinking. A long period of ostracizing older vessels would be needed to drive them to the scrap yards, allowing freight rates to climb as shipping overcapacity erodes, brokers said.

11 Feb 2000

RINA Says Hull Crack Caused Erika's Doom

RINA, which passed the tanker that sank off France in December, said the vessel broke up as a result of cracking of its hull. An internal inquiry into the loss of the 25-year-old Maltese-flag tanker Erika pointed to a small structural failure or leak low in the hull structure, the classification society said. "This was followed by cracking which eventually led to the collapse of the hull," RINA said. Erika's break up led to the pollution of French beaches and criticism that TotalFina, which chartered the ship, didn't take enough responsibility for the damage. Classification societies, which oversee ship safety standards, have also come under fire since the accident. In the hornet's nest of criticism that has ensued, RINA said it believed it had acted correctly.

28 Jan 2000

Molasses Tanker With Same Flag, Class As Erika Detained In France

A 27-year-old molasses tanker escorted to Falmouth in the U.K. after safety defects were found was flagged and classed by the same bodies responsible for the Erika, the tanker that spilled oil on French beaches last month. The Malta-flagged Santana 111, which was detained by French port inspectors, was classed fit to sail by Italian classification society RINA from February 1999, a RINA official said. Erika, which broke up in December causing massive pollution to French beaches, was also registered by Malta and RINA. RINA communications manager Gianfranco Damilano pointed out that the Santana 111 was used for carrying molasses, indicating that if it broke up it would not do the same damage as an oil tanker. "This is not the same as the Erika," he said.

28 Jan 2000

Inspection Groups Mull Changes

Ship inspection organizations, criticized in the wake of the Erika oil spill, are considering changes to their procedures. A special meeting has been called to review procedures and take first steps to implementing changes, the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) said. A number of shipping experts have asked whether the ship classification system is working after the Erika, which was passed fit, broke up in December spilling oil on French beaches. IACS stressed it was too early to jump to conclusions until the investigation by the ship's flag register Malta had been concluded. But it said it was determined to act as information on the causes of the casualty came to light.

09 Mar 2000

The Erika oil spill - using the incident to positive effect

Oslo-based INTERTANKO is well regarded for its work with government and international regulatory bodies in ensuring that rules and regulations pertaining to the design, construction and operations of tankers is consistent with factual data in regards to the industry's record. In the wake of the Erika disaster, Intertanko's Dagfinn Lunde has been understandably busy in meetings to ensure that ownership issues are presented. At press time, a meeting was scheduled in Brussels to discuss the tightening of rules in regards to port state control, classification directives specific to EU, and potential changes to MARPOL. The following was authored by Dagfinn Lunde, and appeared in INTERTANKO's February General Circular.

05 May 2000

Shipping Organizations Agree On Improved Self Policing

The eight main shipping organizations said on Friday they have agreed the need to set up better self policing and accident investigation procedures after the Erika pollution incident off France. A working group to review links in the chain of responsibility to prevent disasters like the Erika will be set up, the shipping organizations said. The 25-year-old tanker Erika broke in two off France last December causing massive pollution to western French beaches after it spilled about 10,000 tons of its fuel oil cargo. The review would address issues of transparency, internal and external investigation procedures and accountability of industry self-policing, the organizations said. Weaknesses in all these elements of the industry have been criticized since the Erika sank.

14 Apr 2000

Seascope Diversifies From Shipping Base

British shipbroking group Seascope Shipping Holdings Plc plans to diversify further beyond its core business despite expecting better shipping markets this year. The company wants to keep broadening its income base, managing director Duncan Hill said, despite forecasting improved shipping earnings in 2000. On Thursday the company reported pre-tax profits of 2 million pounds for 1999, down from 3.2 million in 1998, after OPEC oil cuts hit tanker and offshore markets last year. "I would be hugely disappointed if we are not able to announce another significant acquisition which further diversifies our income base this year," Hill said. Hill declined to give details, but signaled that the acquisition would not be related to online broking ventures being set up by some other brokers.