Pollution in the seas: countries sign document calling for more action against irregular oil tankers

The document was sent to the United Nations maritime agency, the International Maritime Organization (IMO), which will hold an important session of its committee on the protection of the marine environment in July. The request was also supported by Australia, Canada, Spain and Ukraine.

“Such illegal transport undermines the established rules-based international order, and increases the risk of pollution to nearby coastal states. This threatens global efforts to prevent pollution from ships,” the petition said, accessed by Reuters (*)

According to the complaining countries, hundreds of “ghost” tankers – which are not fully regulated – have joined this parallel trade in recent years, transporting oil from countries hit by Western sanctions and restrictions, such as Russia and Iran. Sometimes at sea they end up being the responsibility of the country whose waters are used for illegal operations.

The number of incidents last year, including groundings, collisions and near misses involving these ships, reached the highest level in years, it showed. a Reuters investigation (*)

The countries signing the petition recommend that, when affected countries become aware of such practices, they intensify inspections of these vessels and increase monitoring of activity in their territorial waters.

The International Maritime Organization will evaluate the request of the countries that signed the document at its next meeting, in July.

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