Edinburgh MP Mark Lazarowicz has introduced a new Bill titled The Environmental Protection (Transfers at Sea) Bill, which if introduced would improve the regulation of ship-to-ship transfers of oil and other hazardous cargos throughout UK seas, thus helping to protect the UK’s marine habitats and wildlife from potential oil spills.
Why is the Bill needed?
Ship-to-ship (STS) transfer is a process by which cargo is transferred between ships at anchor, this includes oil! The transfer of oil currently takes place at Scapa Flow Orkney) and Sullum Voe (Shetland).
However what is very worrying is that there are new proposed STS sites around the UK including include Falmouth Harbour (Cornwall), Southwold (Suffolk), the Firth of Forth (SE Scotland) and Nigg Bay (NE Scotland). Lyme Bay (Devon/Dorset) (remember that Lyme Bay is already suffering from commercial scallop dredging as reported in the post titled ‘Help save the seaside’)
Currently, STS operations are insufficiently regulated. The UK Department of Transport (which is responsible for shipping matters) has failed to fulfil repeated promises to introduce stronger measures.
Mark Lazarowicz’s Bill would require the Secretary of State for Transport to bring in new regulations controlling STS transfer of cargos, including strict safeguards to protect our seas and sea life. STS transfer is not addressed by the forthcoming Marine Bill (which I wrote about in the post titled Can we have the Bill please’) , so separate legislation is necessary and extremely important.
Please act now
The Bill’s Second Reading in the House of Commons will take place on 25 January and as this is a make-or-break time for the Bill, the Wildlife Trust is urging people to email their MP asking him / her to support the Bill and attend the debate on 25th January.
4 simple steps to help secure the bill
1) Visit www.theyworkforyou.com and type in your postcode to locate your MP.
2) Click on ‘Send a message to…’.
3) Write a short message in your own words, using the following notes to help you:
- The Environmental Protection (Transfers at Sea) Bill, introduced by Mark Lazarowicz MP, would improve the regulation of ship-to-ship transfers of oil and other hazardous cargos throughout UK seas.
-This would allow strict controls on ship-to-ship transfers, helping to protect the
UK’s marine and coastal habitats and wildlife from potentially catastrophics spills.
-The Bill’s Second Hearing is on 25 January.
-More information about the Bill can be found on Mark Lazarowicz’s website: www.marklazarowicz.org.uk
4) Email the Wildlife Trust Marine team marine(at)wildlifetrusts.org to let them know that you have done it and please put STS as the subject and let them know who your MP is.
Attention non UK citizen’s whilst you wont be able to do the above steps I see no harm in you contacting Mark Lazarowicz and offering support to this Bill, his contact information can be found on his website.
Thank you
