Taiwan will ban foreign single-hull oil tankers from entering its ports starting from 2013 in a move to protect the environment, Seatrade Asia online reports. Taiwan will officially announce the policy by the end of this year but will give shipping companies a one-year grace period before enforcing the ban in 2013, according to the ministry of transportation and communications.
The ministry said the ban does not apply to domestic single-hulls as they mostly navigate on inland seas or around industrial ports and pose lower security concerns.
It will invite related agencies to hold further discussions on a phase-out timeframe for local single-hull oil tankers.
The IMO is phasing out single-hull oil tankers from 2015, or when the tanker reaches 25 years of age.
The ministry said the ban does not apply to domestic single-hulls as they mostly navigate on inland seas or around industrial ports and pose lower security concerns.
It will invite related agencies to hold further discussions on a phase-out timeframe for local single-hull oil tankers.
The IMO is phasing out single-hull oil tankers from 2015, or when the tanker reaches 25 years of age.