Plaid Cymru the Party of Wales in Pembrokeshire has backed calls for the carriage of heavy fuel oil in single-hull oil tankers to be banned following the recent Prestige oil disaster.
The party's Euro MPs called for legislation to speed up the introduction of safer double-hull vessels over a year ago, warning that failure to act could see a repeat of the Sea Empress disaster which hit the Pembrokeshire coastline in 1996. Had those rules been adopted by EU governments the Prestige would have been taken out of service three years ago.
Now the European Commission has told the government to speed up and even implement ahead of schedule maritime safety measures adopted following the Erika disaster which polluted 400km of the French coastline three years ago.
Addressing members at Pentlepoir on Saturday, Llyr Hughes Griffiths, Plaid Cymru's prospective Assembly candidate for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire, said:
"How many more oil disasters are needed before we have action to ensure that single hull tankers are replaced by safer double hull vessels? We all remember the Sea Empress disaster and its dreadful effect on the West Wales coastal environment and tourist industry. Introducing double hull tankers throughout the EU would be a big step towards offering better protection to the Pembrokeshire coastline. Do we have to wait for another major ecological disaster before decisive action is taken?"
Commenting on the package of measures announced by the European Commission following the Prestige disaster, Mr Griffiths said: "I welcome the proposed new rules banning the transport of heavy fuel oil in single-hull tankers bound for or leaving EU ports. Heavy fuel oil is an extremely polluting but comparatively cheap substance and is often carried on the oldest and most unsafe ships. I also support the need to raise the level of compensation for damage resulting from major maritime pollution."
The Commission's proposals also include the full application of new safety rules ensuring that 25 per cent of ships are inspected when in port, and the publication of a black list of 66 ships that have been detained on several occasions in European ports for failing to comply with maritime safety rules.
"Pembrokeshire suffered terribly because of the Sea Empress disaster and we also experienced a near miss on Christmas Eve 1999, when the 15,000 tonne Blackfriars, carrying 1,800 litres of fuel oil, had to be hauled off a Pembrokeshire beach by St. David's lifeboat. I hope that these new measures announced by the European Commission will be adopted swiftly in order to avoid further tragedy."