South Korea plans to ban single-hulled oil tankers from its waters from 2011 in an effort to prevent oil spill incidents, government officials said on Sunday.
According to a statement by South Korea's Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs, the government plans to reduce the ratio of port calls by single-hulled tankers to 15% in 2010 before imposing the ban in 2011.
The number of single-hull tankers making port calls in South Korea have fallen from 53% in 2007 to 36% in 2008 and 22% in 2009.
"The government will ban all single-hulled oil tankers from 2011 to prevent major oil spills off the nation’s coast," the ministry’s statement said.
It added that the move in is line with global efforts to prevent oil spill incidents.
"An international convention on prevention of pollution from shipping calls for the banning of single-hulled tankers starting in 2011 or 2016," the ministry said, referring to International Maritime Organization (IMO)'s MARPOL regulations.
MARPOL calls for the phase-out of the single-hulled tankers by 2010, but under provision known as the Condition Assessment Scheme (CAS), MARPOL regulations allow some single-hull tankers to continue operating until 2015.
Last month, Middle East's leading bunker hub, the port of Fujairah, was reported to be preparing to ban single-hull tankers from its waters from the beginning of January but port officials later refuted the claim.
According to a statement by South Korea's Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs, the government plans to reduce the ratio of port calls by single-hulled tankers to 15% in 2010 before imposing the ban in 2011.
The number of single-hull tankers making port calls in South Korea have fallen from 53% in 2007 to 36% in 2008 and 22% in 2009.
"The government will ban all single-hulled oil tankers from 2011 to prevent major oil spills off the nation’s coast," the ministry’s statement said.
It added that the move in is line with global efforts to prevent oil spill incidents.
"An international convention on prevention of pollution from shipping calls for the banning of single-hulled tankers starting in 2011 or 2016," the ministry said, referring to International Maritime Organization (IMO)'s MARPOL regulations.
MARPOL calls for the phase-out of the single-hulled tankers by 2010, but under provision known as the Condition Assessment Scheme (CAS), MARPOL regulations allow some single-hull tankers to continue operating until 2015.
Last month, Middle East's leading bunker hub, the port of Fujairah, was reported to be preparing to ban single-hull tankers from its waters from the beginning of January but port officials later refuted the claim.