IMO Resolution A 747/18 on the application of tonnage measurement in segregated ballast oil tankers

The Council common position incorporates two of the three amendments adopted by the European Parliament at first reading and rejects the amendment seeking to ensure that port authorities which apply the IMO resolution are not at a competitive disadvantage. The other two amendments were accepted subject to certain changes. As regards the idea of a discount on dues payable by oil tankers with separate ballast tanks, the Council prefers to introduce lower dues for SBT and considers that the difference between the dues payable by oil tankers with and oil tankers without separate ballast tanks should be 17% rather than the 20% proposed by Parliament. Finally, the Council has introduced a period of adjustment in order to arrive at the figure of 17%. At the same time, the Council has introduced new amendments to the regulation as follows: - the regulation is addressed to port and pilot authorities, - port authorities which do not calculate dues on the basis of the gross registered tonnage must not penalize SBT, - the type I committee has been replaced by a type IIIb committee, - all references to sanctions in the event of failure to apply the regulation have been deleted, - provision has been made for an evaluation report on the payment of differentiated dues to be presented to the European Parliament and the Council by 31 December 1998.�