Foreign flagged tankers carrying crude oil and products in the ports and waters of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have to be less than 25 years old, UAE’s Federal Transport Authority (FTA) said.
In addition, the ships in question need to be double-hulled, classed by a classification society which is a member of the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) or emirates classification society (TASNEEF) in order to load or discharge their cargo.
Furthermore, the said tankers need to be constructed or adapted primarily to carry crude oil and products in bulk.
FTA has been very busy over the past year with activities aimed at bringing order to its maritime sector and meeting of international standards in various fields including protection of seafarers.
The announcement comes on the back of FTA’s prescription of manadatory insurance for seafarers working on all ships flying the UAE flag trading internationally, and all ships operating in UAE waters above 200 gross tons.
The insurance relates to cases of abandonment, death or injury of seafarers and covers up to four months’ owed contractual wages and entitlements.
The measure, being introduced as the country readies to ratify the Maritime Labour Convention 2006, is set to enter into force on February 20, 2018, FTA said.
World Maritime News Staff