§ 49. Mr. Awberyasked the Minister of Transport whether the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Committee which recently met in London discussed the question of the widescale pollution of the sea caused by tankers; and what methods of prevention were suggested or adopted.
§ Mr. HayYes. The recent international Conference devoted much of its attention to the pollution of the sea caused by oil discharged from tankers.
The Conference decided to extend the provisions of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution of the Sea by Oil, 1954, so as to cover all tankers down to 150 gross tons; it reviewed the existing anti-pollution practices adopted on tankers to which the Convention already applied, and it agreed that new tankers of 20,000 gross tons or more should be prohibited from discharging persistent oil into the sea except in exceptional circumstances. It also dealt with the question of discharge of oil by ships other than tankers.
§ 54. Mr. Awberyasked the Minister of Transport if he will take steps to make it compulsory for all United Kingdom oil tankers and oil-burning vessels to install separating plant in order to prevent the pollution of the sea and beaches.
§ Mr. HayDry cargo ships registered in the United Kingdom which use their bunker fuel tanks for ballast water are required to be fitted with oily water separators. Other classes of ships can avoid pollution without using separators. For example, in a tanker water that has been used for cleaning can be pumped into one tank and left to settle.