Backing for Antarctic ship review

Recognising campaigners’ fears that the Antarctic waters were at risk from the rising number of ships in the area, the IMO has invited member nations to submit proposals to limit shipping’s impact on this unique environment.

Environmentalists said the sinking of the cruise ship ?Explorer? in 2007 was a wake-up call to tighten rules in the region. The meeting also agreed to curb emissions from commercial vessels.

A paper submitted by a coalition of environmental groups called for the IMO to ban ships fuelled by heavy oil or without reinforced hulls from the area’s waters. It also called for restrictions on sewage and waste water discharges to be tightened. “Everyone that spoke at the meeting was supportive of the paper,” said Sian Prior, a spokeswoman for the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition (ASOC). “The challenge now is to come back with concrete measures on what needs to be done.”

The International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators shows that 37,552 tourists visited Antarctica during 2006-07, the majority arriving by sea. ASOC is concerned that many of the vessels carrying them are not ice-strengthened which makes serious accidents more likely and increases the risk of an oil spillage if a ship gets into trouble.

They have documented six incidents in little more than a year which carried a risk of major contamination, the most notable being the holing of the ?Explorer? – probably by an iceberg – which resulted in the vessel sinking and an international rescue mission for passengers and crew.

Antarctica is the unique home to several varieties of penguin, an important base for others such as seals, and a vital feeding ground for whales. A spokesman for the IMO said the committee had discussed the issue, and called on nations to submit proposals to address the concerns outlined in the paper.