Oil transfer rules delay sparks anger

Published on Thursday 25 June 2009 10:08

ENVIRONMENT campaigners today criticised UK Government delays on rules for ship-to-ship oil transfers in the Forth, asking whether it needed the threat of a disaster to produce some action.

Edinburgh North & Leith Labour MP Mark Lazarowicz dropped plans for a Private Member's Bill to crack down on the transfers in January last year after the Government promised to bring forward new regulations.

A major campaign had been sparked by proposals to pump millions of tonnes of oil between ships anchored in the Forth.

Jim Fitzpatrick, then Shipping Minister, promised a consultation in the spring and said the regulations should go before parliament last summer. Although a consultation went ahead, the Government has yet to produce the regulations. New Shipping Minister Paul Clark said there might have to be a second consultation.

A proposal by SPT Marine Services to transfer 7.8 million tonnes a year of Russian crude oil between ships in the Forth was withdrawn days after Mr Fitzpatrick's promise of regulations.

Mr Lazarowicz said: "I'm rather concerned now at the delay and the fact the commitments given by the original minister in good faith are taking longer to fulfil.

"I don't want to see a long delay in getting through regulations which should have been through before the end of last year."

Environmental campaigners Friends of the Earth said the fact the earlier proposal had been dropped did not mean there was no need for action. A spokeswoman said:

"Will we need to see another potentially devastating proposal in the Forth or elsewhere before the UK Government delivers on its commitment to pass appropriate regulations?"

A spokesperson for the Department for Transport said: "

If it is decided that a second consultation exercise is necessary, it is likely to take place later this year."

Under current rules, Forth Ports would have the final say on any transfer proposal.

A spokesman for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds said: "It's disappointing the UK Government has still not closed the legal loophole that removes control of ship-to-ship transfers of oil from elected officials."