§ Mr. Derek WyattTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on banning single hull ships in EU waters. [82531]
§ Mr. Jamieson[holding answer 25 November 2002]The UK consistently supported measures to accelerate the withdrawal of single hull tankers which were introduced following the loss of the tanker ERIKA in December 1999. Jointly, with Denmark and the Netherlands, we took the lead in securing mandatory change in the International Maritime Organization's (MO) MARPOL Convention on an international timetable. The UK preferred a global programme to a regional arrangement, since coastlines outside the EU are equally deserving of protection, and also supported the consequential EU Regulation EC 417/2002, which imposed the IMO text in EU member states.
§ Peter BottomleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will propose international initiatives to bring forward the end of the use of large single-hulled oil tankers; [83027]
(2) if he will bring forward the date when single-hulled large oil tankers are to be banned from UK waters; and if he will make a statement. [83026]
§ Mr. JamiesonThe recent amendment to the MARPOL Convention agreed in the International Maritime Organization, and implemented within the EU by Regulation No. 417/2002, requires that single-hull tankers having no additional protection, such as the PRESTIGE, must be phased out in order of age between 2003 and 2007. Single-hull tankers fitted with partial protection must be phased out in order of age between 2003 and 2015. It will be necessary for each category of single-hull tanker to satisfy an additional requirement for a rigorous condition assessment survey to be able to operate after 2005 and 2010 respectively. Investment in the newer double-hull tankers depends on the stability offered by this timetable.