Doha: The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has announced that it is to include the Gulf waters as a special area in which pollution from ships has been prohibited. The decision was announced that the 56th Marine Environment Protection Committee meeting in London this week and is the result of a memorandum collectively submitted to the IMO by the neighbouring countries of the Gulf Area. It will apply to all the countries bound by the MARPOL convention, and will require all vessels in the area to carry a shipboard oil pollution emergency plan.
The IMO's decision is particularly apt, since according to a UNESCO report, "More oil from spills has been released into the Gulf than into any other region on Earth,"
The Gulf waters join the other IMO classified areas of the Mediterranean sea, Baltic sea, Red sea, Gulf of Oman, the area of the South Pole and North European waters, where pollution by oil, noxious liquid substances in bulk, ship sewage, packaged substances, garbage or air pollution from vessels is banned. [20/07/07]
Copyright © 2024. All rights reserved. Seatrade, a trading name of Informa Markets (UK) Limited. Add Seatrade Maritime News to your Google News feed.
