Baltic Sea gets special protection

By Teresa Küchler

Date: 28/07/05

The EU has won a battle over rights to protect the Baltic Sea from hazardous sea transport, despite opposition from the US and Russia.

At a meeting of the International Maritime Organisation last week (22 July), the Baltic Sea was designated a Particularly Sensitive Sea Area (PSSA).

As a consequence, states will be able to introduce stricter rules against the entrance of risky transports, demand special training for tankers' crews, and carry out unannounced safety inspections onboard ships. Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Sweden all favoured the PSSA status, which was opposed by Russia, the US, Panama and Liberia.

The environmental campaign organisation Greenpeace predicts that shipments through the Baltic will triple in the next ten years.

The waters around the Canary Islands have also been given the same status.

At a meeting of the International Maritime Organisation's Marine Environment Protection Committee on 22 July 2005, the Baltic Sea was designated a Particularly Sensitive Sea Area (PSSA). This move had been favoured by EU Member States but opposed by Russia, the US, Panama and Liberia.

IMO: Briefing 35/2005. Report of 53rd session of Marine Environment Protection Committee http://www.imo.org/en/MediaCentre/PressBriefings/Pages/Home.aspx

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