DENMARK: Government puts shipping safety and environment at risk in Danish waters by putting the pilot ships free to the raw market forces.
Business and Growth Minister Henrik Sass Larsen (S) heavily criticized for wanting to liberalize unloading of ships in Danish waters from 2020. Both pilots' union and the Danish Society for Nature Conservation baffled by the Minister plans.
President of the Danish Pilots, Bjarne Jensen Caesar, saying that the environment and navigation safety loses out.
- In Denmark, pilot ships with oil, chemicals and other hazardous goods 100 percent financed by its users.
- This means that the potential polluter, including the large multinational oil companies even pay for shipping and environmental safety measures to protect our shores and the Danish marine environment from oil pollution, among other things. It is a unique organization, says Bjarne Jensen Caesar Ritzau.
700,000 tons of oil are transported each day through Danish waters, the majority of foreign ships. The Pilotage company DanPilot responsible for unloading and is the state's eyes and ears on both maritime safety and marine environment.
Marine biologist in the Danish Society for Nature Conservation Henning Dark Jorgensen says that the government is gambling with the Danish marine environment.
- If the name must have a system that may not quite work as well, which is preparedness so her if there are accidents? It is already shaky and puny what Denmark puts up with to protect the marine environment, says Henning Dark Jorgensen.
Marine biologist whereas the state for years has not met the requirements for preparedness in the Baltic Sea Commission, which Denmark is a member. The government plans to release a pilot market free is another step in the wrong direction.
- One may ask whether nationally at all take into account that we have very heavily trafficked waters, which are also very vulnerable. It is so close that it almost can be. It is gambling with it.
- We have an efficient pilotage system and when it works, there's no need to fix it, says Henning Jørgensen.