EU Invests in Border Security, Coast Guard
The European Union Council officially adopted the Commission's proposal to reinforce the European Border and Coast Guard, an agency that will acquire its own equipment, such as vessels, planes and vehicles, a will have a standing corps of 10,000 border guards. The move was announced to respond to the challenges facing Europe in managing migration and its external borders.“Today the European Union has achieved an ambitious task of transforming the EU border agency, Frontex, into a fully-fledged European Border and Coast Guard.
New European Regs on Ship Recycling
The new European Regulation on ship recycling (Regulation (EU) No 1257/2013) was published on December 10, 2013 in the Official Journal of the European Union and it will enter into force on December 30, 2013. In view of the international importance of the new Regulation GMS followed very closely and contributed advice towards its development. It is paramount that the implementation of the new Regulation by the European Commission in the next two years will be guided by realism and a clear understanding of the dynamics of the industry, and not by the impractical, not thought-out, and irrational campaigns to ban beaching. Over this period the industry will need to be alert so as to contribute its knowledge and guidance to the European Commission.
EMSA to Launch Tender for Stand-by Oil Spill Recovery Vessels
The European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) has launched, in addition to the earlier announced tender for the Black and North Sea areas, a second procurement procedure to conclude contracts for stand-by oil spill recovery vessels along the Atlantic European coastal area (from Porto, Portugal to and including Brest, France). The 2008 second tender will establish 3 year renewable contracts with commercial shipowners and/or operators and/or spill response organisations and/or manufacturers. The related “Contract Notice”, published on 20th May in the Supplement to the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU), has the associated “Invitation to Apply” deadline of 27th June. Source: EMSA
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.
News: EU Single-Hull Phase-Out Elicits IMO Scorn
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 came 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 move drew immediate negative reaction from the International Maritime Organization (IMO), an organization which generally frowns upon such national or regional action. In a statement released October 23, Secretary-General of IMO, William A.
EU Double Hull Legislation Signed
The President of the European Parliament, Hans-Gert Pöttering, officially signed a European Parliament and Council Regulation that represents an important response to offshore tanker accidents and will lead to better protection of the seas and the environment. Under the new regulation, oil tankers transporting heavy oils will only be allowed to fly the flag of a European Union member state if they are double hulled. In addition, regardless of what flag they are flying, only double hulled tankers will be able to enter member states’ harbors or anchor in their territorial waters. The regulation is directly applicable in all the Member States and, now that it has been signed, will enter into force on the twentieth day after its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
