Abu Dhabi oil ports to bar all single-hull tankers from Jan 2011

Single-hull tankers will be barred from entering Abu Dhabi's petroleum loading ports from January 1, 2011, according to a notice released late Tuesday by the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company's Supreme Petroleum Council. "In line with ADNOC policy of risk mitigations and protection of assets and environment, it is to be noted that by 31 December 2010, Abu Dhabi Petroleum Ports will only grant permits for double-hull tankers to load any grades of oils regardless of the flag and size of the vessel," the statement said. Abu Dhabi's oil loading ports are Das Island, Jebel Dhanna, Ruwais, Mubarraz Island, Sas Al Nakhl and Zirku Island. The International Maritime Organization had brought forward to 2010 a planned global phase-out of single-hull tankers under its MARPOL regulations, from a 2015 target it had set earlier. The revision came after the single-hull tanker, Prestige, leaked fuel oil off Spain's coast in 2002. However, under MARPOL regulations, an exception exists to allow countries to use single-hull tankers until 2015 or until the vessels reach 25 years of age, whichever is earlier -- if the tanker carries the flag of the home country.
The exception -- called Condition Assessment Scheme -- demands the enhanced and transparent verification of the single-hull vessel's structural condition. Based on ADNOC's notice, it appears that Abu Dhabi ports will not allow any single-hull vessels under the CAS exception.