Shipping minister in pollution action call

Citation

(1999), "Shipping minister in pollution action call", Disaster Prevention and Management, Vol. 8 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/dpm.1999.07308aab.008

Shipping minister in pollution action call

Shipping minister in pollution action call

British shipping minister Glenda Jackson has called for domestic waters to become a no-go area for polluters, insisting that fines should be a real deterrent.

"We have a duty to those who come afterwards", Ms Jackson said, "to ensure that the sea did not become the great sewer of the world".

She was speaking at an Institute of Petroleum conference recently to discuss the National Contingency Plan to deal with marine pollution through shipping and offshore installations.

Vital document

She described the plan as a vital document and, citing the Sea Empress and Braer incidents, said: "The UK has had more than its fair share of oil spills".

Ms Jackson said that while the plan dealt with large-scale pollution accidents it also covered small-scale, pervasive pollution incidents.

The plan provided a framework from which to track down and prosecute polluters. A recent beach water survey had shown that 14 per cent of all litter came from shipping sources.

She said it was unacceptable that there was no international regime covering bunker spills, and said the government would be working with other members of the International Maritime organization for action on the issue.

Effective

With the accession of the UK to the United Nations Convention of the Law of the Sea, the government was seeking to make pollution control more effective, Ms Jackson said. This had been enforced by the designation of northwest Europe as a "special area" to prohibit discharge of oil in European waters.

Disposal of port waste was also on the government's agenda.

The minister said she was in favour of the highest fines being levied against polluters. Fines in the lower courts had been increased to a maximum of £250,000 ($411,600) for oil spillages and £25,000 for garbage pollution.

"I am determined that fines should be a real deterrent", she said.

Strong message

She referred to the case of J H Whitaker Tankers which was fined £40,000 for two oil pollution incidents last year and said she "hoped the fine will send a strong message that anti-pollution offences will be enforced and offenders will be named".

The need for a national contingency plan was first recognised following the Torrey Canyon spill in 1967. After the Sea Empress spill in January 1997, a review of the plan was announced.

This takes account of new legislation, including the International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Co-operation 1990, lessons learned from spills and Lord Donaldson's recommendations in Safer Ships, Cleaner Seas.

Results of the study being conducted by Lord Donaldson on salvage and intervention and their associated command and control structure are expected to be released in May.

(Lloyd's Casualty Week, Vol. 311 No. 12, 20 March 1998.)