European Parliament
Vilija Blinkevičiūtė  (S&D ),
in writing.
(LT)
I voted in favour of this European Parliament report because the issue of the accelerated phasing-in of safety requirements for single-hull oil tankers is very important for the European Union. Oil slicks resulting from oil tanker accidents are major environmental disasters with tragic repercussions for marine fauna and flora. Reflecting a concern for the environment, this regulation seeks to reduce the risks of accidental oil pollution in European waters through the introduction of double-hull requirements. This requirement for oil tankers to have a double hull would protect the cargo tanks from damage and reduce the pollution risk. In single-hull vessels, the oil in the cargo tanks is separated from the seawater only by the bottom and side plating. If the hull is damaged following a collision or grounding, there is a risk that the cargo tanks will discharge their contents into the sea and cause major pollution. An effective means of avoiding this risk is to surround the cargo tanks with a second inner plate at a sufficient distance from the outer shell.

