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by Franco Aloisio
In 1999, ships bearing the Maltese flag topped the list of vessels detained in the UK after being certified as being below international safety standards.
The list, published this week by the British Maritime and Coastguard Agency, shows that 14 Maltese-registered ships were detained in various British ports in 1999. A total of 129 foreign ships were detained last year.
Last December the Maltese-registered oil tanker Erika sunk in the French Atlantic coast causing a major ecological disaster. The EU Commission and the French Transport Ministry have urged the Malta Maritime Authority to change its ship registration procedures.
Apart from Malta, other detained ships in Britain were registered in countries known for lacking high standards in shipping registration, namely Cyprus, Panama, St Vincent and Grenadines and Russia. The five flag states accounted for almost half of the ships detained in the UK.
The list published by the British Maritime and Coastguard Agency details the name, flag state, owner or operator and classification society of each detained ship, together with the summary of the main grounds for detention.
The overall rate of detentions compared with inspections during 1999 was 6.8 per cent.
The Maltese-registered ships detained in Britain during 1999 were: Amarantos, Amber 1, Apostolovo, Astra Sky, Irina 2, Ruta, Tomis Faith, Action, Haight, Polytironis, Reda, Sea Mana, STK 1022, Verona and Winter.
These vessels were detained for several reasons. Corrosion, which was the cause of the Erika shipwreck, was found on some of the Maltese-registered ships. Other deficiencies included lack of basic safety equipment such as radar instruments and liferafts.
The British Maritime and Coastguard Agency promoted and enforces high standards in marine safety and aims at minimising risks of pollution of the marine environment from ships.
Meanwhile Lloyd's List yesterday reported that the Italian Savarese family is directly involved in ownership of the Erika.. The shipping newspaper reported that an agreement for the technical management of the tanker with Panship Management & Services was signed in mid 1997 by Giuseppe Savarese on behalf of Tevere Shipping Company, a Maltese shell company that formally owned the ship.
It was also reported that while the Erika was sinking, Mr Savarese was skiing at Roccaraso in Italy.
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