Tanker phase-out accord on horizon

Date: 28/09/00

By Bruce Barnard

EU GOVERNMENTS are moving toward a compromise on controversial plans to phase out ageing, single-hulled oil tankers.

But two member states are still holding out against a deal, although for different reasons: France wants to toughen the European Commission's proposed restrictions on older tankers while Greece, which has the world's largest shipping fleet, argues that the plans go too far.

The Commission's proposal would phase out single-hulled tankers which have been in service for 28 years and set a deadline of 2010 for outlawing all such vessels. France, which is under intense domestic pressure following the ecological disaster caused by the sinking of the Erika oil tanker off its coast last December, wants tougher action. Along with Belgium and Germany, it is calling for an age limit of 26 years and a final deadline of 2008.

But some fear both these proposals would result in large numbers of ships reaching the end of their permitted European operating lives at the same time, risking shortfalls in tonnage which would disrupt the flow of oil on the high seas. The Commission's timetable would, for instance, result in such shortages in 2003, when 280 tankers would be withdrawn from service, and again in 2010. It also would increase owners' investment costs by more than €3 billion from 2003 to 2015, according to a study carried out for the Commission by Norwegian consultant Even Englestad.

The UK, Denmark and the Netherlands will try to scale back both proposals at a meeting of transport ministers next week, setting a 28-year age limit with a cut-off point of 2015.

Their proposal would also try to prevent the tanker shortfall expected in 2003 by allowing older, single-skinned vessels of more than 20,000 tonnes and oil-products carriers of over 30,000 tonnes to remain in service for two extra years. Ships aged 28 years and older in January 2010 would be allowed to operate for another five years if they passed special safety tests.

The compromise drawn up by London, Copenhagen and The Hague is designed to bridge the gap between the France and Greece, and enable the Union to present a united front at a key safety meeting of the International Maritime Organisation, the United Nations' shipping agency, in mid-October.

The Commission is anxious to avoid charges it is pursuing a go-it-alone strategy which will undermine global maritime safety efforts. Georgette Lalis, director of maritime transport, insists Europe is simply trying to accelerate the implementation of international rules and avoid becoming a dumping ground for tankers banned from the US.

The issue will be discussed by transport ministers next Monday (2 October) and Paris has put it on the agenda for next month's Biarritz summit.

EU governments are moving toward a compromise on controversial plans to phase out ageing, single-hulled oil tankers.