MORE bans are afoot in the European Union as regulators increase the number of things one could do before, but will be forever banned in future, reports Fort Lauderdale's Maritime Executive.
The EU's Transport and Tourism Committee put forward a series of proposed steps expanding the limits on illegal discharges from ships as part of an overall review launched in June 2023 to toughen health and safety rules.
The draft was adopted by the committee in a 36-1 vote. These rules focus on fines, while separate talks deal with criminal sanctions, which with be put forth in separate legislation.
This would extend eu fines for discharges to include sewage, garbage, and residues from scrubbers. This would expand on the current rules preventing the discharge of oil and other liquid substances that are judged to be noxious or pollutants.
Current EU rules do not work, because they are weakly applied by member states, said Romanian member of the EU Parliament Marian-Jean Marinescu speaking on behalf of the committee.
In addition to widening the ban on pollution from ships, the committee is proposing steps to enhance enforcement and increase penalties.
The proposal calls for expanding the responsibility of shipowners for any environmental damage caused and that setting maximum or minimum penalties for infringements to ensure that effectiveness is not undermined.
They are also calling for a requirement that half of the incidents be verified on the spot to prevent an illegal discharge from becoming undetectable by the time authorities arrive.
SeaNews Turkey
The EU's Transport and Tourism Committee put forward a series of proposed steps expanding the limits on illegal discharges from ships as part of an overall review launched in June 2023 to toughen health and safety rules.
The draft was adopted by the committee in a 36-1 vote. These rules focus on fines, while separate talks deal with criminal sanctions, which with be put forth in separate legislation.
This would extend eu fines for discharges to include sewage, garbage, and residues from scrubbers. This would expand on the current rules preventing the discharge of oil and other liquid substances that are judged to be noxious or pollutants.
Current EU rules do not work, because they are weakly applied by member states, said Romanian member of the EU Parliament Marian-Jean Marinescu speaking on behalf of the committee.
In addition to widening the ban on pollution from ships, the committee is proposing steps to enhance enforcement and increase penalties.
The proposal calls for expanding the responsibility of shipowners for any environmental damage caused and that setting maximum or minimum penalties for infringements to ensure that effectiveness is not undermined.
They are also calling for a requirement that half of the incidents be verified on the spot to prevent an illegal discharge from becoming undetectable by the time authorities arrive.
SeaNews Turkey