Malta-flagged ship in collision
European Commission urges EU to adopt liability proposal
The European Commission yesterday highlighted a collision involving a Maltese-registered ship earlier in the day to call on the European Council to immediately start discussing its proposal to improve the liability regime for maritime transport.
The Commission's proposal foresees levels of compensation to be paid in the case of maritime pollution.
No one was injured and no pollution was reported in the collision, which involved the Maltese-registered Polish-owned bulk carrier General Grot Rowecki and a Marshall Islands-registered Turkish-owned chemical tanker Ece in the English Channel early yesterday.
Shore assistance was rendered to the crew members of the Marshall Islands-flagged tanker which has sustained structural damages to her hull.
Following an inspection by French authorities, the Maltese vessel was allowed to sail to its destination port of Police in Poland.
According to Reuters who quoted the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, the Ece was leaking its cargo of phosphoric acid which presented no pollution threat because the acid would be neutralised in the sea. Investigators would have to see why the vessels collided despite good visibility at the time.
French Transport Commissioner Jacques Barrot in a statement appealed to member states to start immediately the discussion on the Commission's proposals.
"The collision shows the risk of maritime pollution. We must make sure that those who cause damage are liable in the event of grave negligence and are obliged to pay compensations," he said.
The accident occurred north of the Channel Islands in the English Channel close to Cherbourg. The 22 crew members of the tanker were rescued. The Maltese-flagged vessel was carrying a cargo of phosphate.
The Commission recently proposed a third maritime safety package to complete and reinforce existing measures.
The Commission said that in the context of the latest collision and the risk of environmental pollution the proposed liability directive was crucial.
"The Commission regrets that the Council has not started work on this proposal yet. The Commission's intention is to improve the existing liability regimes for maritime transport. Member states would be invited to implement an international convention which sets levels of compensation that will be sufficient to allow for appropriate redress in most scenarios.
The Commission also wants ships entering European waters to be covered by an insurance policy to cover their liability in the event of damage to third parties," the Commission statement said.
The Malta Maritime Authority (MMA) said in a statement that in terms of IMO Assembly Resolution 849(20), the flag state administrations of Marshall Islands and Malta have agreed that Marshall Islands will assume the role of lead investigating state whereas Malta will be actively involved in the investigation as a substantially interested state.
An inspector from the Merchant Shipping Directorate of the Malta Maritime Authority will be awaiting the MV General Grot Rowecki in Poland, the MMA said.