INTERTANKO Applauds MEPC Report on Annex V1

The IMO's Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) welcomed the statements made by Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Greece, Luxemburg, the Netherlands, Panama and Spain that the national process for the ratification of the Protocol of 1997 of MARPOL 73/78 has reached the final stages and that they would be able to ratify Annex VI, some by the end of this year and others by the first half of 2003. The United Kingdom also indicated that the national processes were progressing. This would mean that the Annex might satisfy the entry into force conditions in mid 2003 and enter into force before mid 2004.