Norway issues demarche against Spain

Norway has issued a demarche against Spain for what it sees as an invasion of its sovereignty following the recent exclusion by Spanish authorities of two Norwegian flag ships from Spain?s 200 mile coastal zone. The demarche was in the form of a formal note sent by the Norwegian government to Spain. The note points out that Norwegian ships have a right to freedom of navigation and that the exclusion of the two Norwegian flag ships contravenes the international law of the sea. Spain excluded the tankers, both belonging to Intertanko members, under the terms of the Malaga treaty, which it established along with France and Portugal following the Prestige accident and that seeks to exclude single hull tankers carrying heavy fuel oil from its coastal waters. Peter Swift, managing director of Intertanko says the action by Norway is “excellent news”.