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The Falkland Islands Tourist Board (FITB) has expressed its concern over the impact of a ban on the use and carriage of heavy gas oil (HGO) in Antarctic waters by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), MercoPress reports.

Speaking this week to the FITB's Board of Directors, General Manager Jake Downing is reported to have said “FITB are in touch with ships agents and Stanley Services Limited to work out what impact this will actually have on the Falklands cruise industry. Feedback from the Seatrade Convention has highlighted that if this policy is implemented it may have an impact on the large vessels which call into the Falklands as well as some of the expedition vessels.”

Members of the International Association of Antarctic Operators (IAATO) recently received information from the IAATO Executive regarding the IMO's Sub-Committee on Bulk Liquids and Gases (BLG) in London on March 2-6 2009. Members were informed that the sub-committee's draft amendments to protect the Antarctic would lead not only to a ban on the use but also the carriage of Heavy Gas Oil (HGO) in Antarctic waters.

The draft amendments, which will be submitted to the Marine Environment Protection Committee in July 2009, for approval with a view to adoption, would add a new chapter 9 to MARPOL Annex I with a new regulation (43) which would prohibit the carriage in bulk as cargo, or carriage and use as fuel, of:

* Crude oil having a density at 15°C higher than 900 kg/m3;

* Oils, other than crude oils, having a density at 15°C higher than 900 kg/m3 or a kinematic viscosity at 50°C higher than 180 mm2/s;

* Bitumen, tar and their emulsions.

An exception is envisaged for vessels engaged in securing the safety of ships or in a search and rescue operation.

Commenting on the new amendments, Downing said "What is particularly disquieting about this development is that the intention of the ban seems only to be on tourist, fishing and cargo vessels. Military vessels, supply vessels, salvage vessels and SAR vessels will not be affected."

Downing added “Furthermore, no delay in the decision-making was made to consider the true effect of the ban; e.g. any oil spill is problematic, and the pour point of HGO is 30 C, so when cold, it solidifies to a wax ball and most likely would sink. We believe there has been a rush to adopt a ban without sufficient understanding of the behaviour of HGO in cold water.”

IMO's Sub-Committee on Bulk Liquids and Gases (BLG) was set up to consider matters related to the following subjects:

* prevention and control of marine pollution from ships and other related maritime operations involved in the transport and handling of oil and dangerous and noxious liquids substances in bulk;

* evaluation of hazards of dangerous and noxious liquid substances in bulk transported by ships;

* control and management of ships' ballast water and sediments;

* construction, equipment and operational requirements for ships carrying bulk liquids and gases;

* protection of personnel involved in the transport of bulk liquids and gases; and

* survey and certification of ships constructed to carry bulk liquids and gases.

The fifty-ninth session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee to be held at IMO Headquarters, 4 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7SR from Monday 13th July to Friday 17th July 2009