The Maltese-flagged, Polish-owned bulk carrier General Grot Rowecki (photo) collided with the Marshall Islands- flagged, Turkish-owned chemical/oil products tanker ECE yesterday morning at around 2am.
The accident happened north of the Channel Islands in the English Channel close to Cherbourg. The 22 crew members of the tanker were rescued.
The bulk carrier is carrying a cargo of phosphate and the tanker is carrying phosphoric acid.
An initial evaluation predicts that there would not be significant environmental damage, but the European Commission said it was continuing to follow the situation very closely.
The Malta Maritime Authority said in a statement that following an inspection by French authorities, the Maltese vessel was allowed to sail to its destination port of Police in Poland.
The flag state administrations of Marshall Islands and Malta have agreed that Marshall Islands will assume the role of lead investigating state, whereas Malta will be actively involved in the investigation as a substantially interested state.
An inspector from the Merchant Shipping Directorate of the Malta Maritime Authority will be awaiting the MV General Grot Rowecki in Poland, the MMA said.
In the light of the collision, the European Commission called upon member states to start immediately the discussion in the Council on its proposal to improve the liability regime for maritime transport. That proposal also foresees levels of compensation to be paid in the case of maritime pollution.
The European Commission has recently proposed a third maritime safety package to complete and reinforce already existing measures. In the context of the collision and the risk of environmental pollution, the proposed liability directive is crucial.
“The Commission regrets that the Council has not started work on this proposal yet. The Commission’s intention is to improve the existing liability regimes for maritime transport,” it said.
Under the Commission’s proposal, member states would be invited to implement an international convention which sets levels of compensation that will be sufficient to allow for appropriate redress in most scenarios.
The Commission also wants all ships entering European waters to be covered by an insurance policy in order to cover their liability in the event of damage to third parties.
Vice-president of the European Commission in charge of EU transport policy, Jacques Barrot, stated: “I call on member states to start
the discussion on the Commission’s proposal to improve liability and compensation payments in the maritime sector.”
“Last night’s collision shows the risk of maritime pollution. We must make sure that those who cause damage are liable in the event of grave negligence and are obliged to pay compensations.”
The instruments proposed by the Commission will also have a dissuasive impact by discouraging ship-owners who fail to apply stringent standards.
In a further step, the Commission intends to obtain a mandate to negotiate the review of the international convention on civil liability to remove the liability ceiling.
In addition, the Commission has invited the Transport Council to speed up the ratification of a number of international conventions on liability and compensation payments.