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One tanker accident after another has occured in recent years. Recent
examples include the ground off the Scotland's Shetland Islands (EXON ･ Braer)
and the collision and fire near the Malacca Srait (Maersk Navigator).
This recent spate of oil tanker accidents brought about worldwide concern
as to tanker transport safety and environmental measures. Various studies have
started to review "the Protocal of 1978 Relating to the International Convention
for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973" (MARPOL73/78) at the IMO.
The Government of Japan made necessary revisions to appropriate national regulations
in March 1993 requiring double-hulled tanker construction. These will become
applicable in July 1993, in advance of the effective date of the revised international
treaty.
The Ministry of Transport, after the accidents of the Maersk Navigator in
January 1993, took the following actions pertaining to tanker transport safety
and contributed positively to the safety measures:
| 1) | the decision to advance the schedule of implementation of the OSPAR plan, which will provide ASEAN countries with oil fences and other materials to prevent oil disasters (February 1993), |
| 2) | intensified port state control (PSC) of foreign registered tankers (March-April 1993), |
| 3) | the discussion of comprehensive tanker transport safety measures at the "Tanker Transport Safety Panel" (since February 1993). The Ministry of Transport also has submitted a number of proposals strengthening tanker safety to the IMO. |
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