Shipping safety

Michael Frendo, who is currently attending a two-day meeting of the European parliament's committee on regional policy, transport and tourism, took part in a debate attended by the European Commission's vice president Loyola de Palacio.

Responding to Dr Frendo's question as to whether she agreed that shipping safety needed to be tackled not just at a regional level but also at a global level through the International Maritime Organisation, Ms Palacio agreed that the IMO was a crucial forum for progress on the issue of shipping safety.

She said the EU had to act on shipping safety with regard to ships entering the ports of its member states.