On 21 February the Riigikogu passed a law on the approval of the amendments to the Helsinki Convention prepared in the Ministry of the Environment. The amendments cover the elimination of the use of single-hulled oil tankers, the discharge of ship-generated waste at port and the burning of waste on board a ship. “The implementation of the amendments to the Helsinki Convention are a step forward in the protection of the Baltic Sea,” said Rein Randver, Minister of the Environment. According to the Convention countries have to ban the use of single-hulled oil tankers. This in turn brings along the implementation of the requirements of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships or MARPOL. Single-hulled tankers can be used until the year 2010. As set in the Helsinki Convention, prior to leaving port, ships have to turn in all waste that is not allowed to be discharged into the Baltic Sea region. Specifically in Estonia the implementation of the amendments to the Convention should ban the burning of waste on board a ship the goal of which is to reduce the contamination of the environment with pollutants. Estonia joined the Helsinki Convention on 9 April 1992. The Convention came into force on 17 January 2000. Additional information: Katrin Vels, Specialist of the Marine Environment Office of the Water Department of the Ministry of the Environment 626 2822 Manuela Pihlap, Public Relations Officer of the Ministry of the Environment 626 2908 5625 0398 |
