IMO is ?a fox guarding the chickens?

Geenpeace, which has had its International Maritime Organization observer status taken away, has called IMO a “fox guarding chickens”. Marking the first anniversary of the Prestige oil spillage it says IMO has done little to prevent a similar occurrence.

To prevent oil spills new regulations are needed to force both the shipping industry and the charterers to operate under the highest standards of ships and crews. Further measures are needed to protect sensitive sea areas and increased control of maritime traffic says Greenpeace.

All of these measures could and should be taken by the IMO. However, the organisation has made little or no effort to curtail the activities of the worst aspects of the shipping industry.

Greenpeace says: “Instead, the IMO has sought to curtail criticism by removing our consultative status from the organisation. The IMO’s membership does include Flag of Convenience states which license unsafe, rust-bucket tankers that sail with deadly cargoes.”