The European Commission (EC) has adopted rules prohibiting transport of heavy fuel in single hull tankers and setting an earlier date for phase-out of single hull tankers. Further work is planned with regard to clarification of legal responsibility for maritime accidents. On January 2, French President Jacques Chirac and Commission President Romano Prodi discussed the issue of maritime safety. This followed the collision of the Turkish tanker Vicky with a sunken carrier off the French coast on Wednesday. The tanker was transporting 70,000 tons of highly flammable kerosene. Against the backdrop of this accident and the ongoing oil pollution caused by the accident of the tanker "Prestige" off the Spanish coast last November…