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Breakthrough: Maltese ministers acknowledge responsibility for breaking of Maltese flagged ships

8 october 2004 - Last week Malta, the worlds second largest exporter of toxic end-of-life ships, seemed to accept responsibility for the scrapping of Maltese flagged ships. An international delegation of Greenpeace visited the country, which became a new EU member this year. The little island in the Mediterranean controls the fifth largest fleet in the world. Malta can therefore play a key role in pushing for a solution in the EU on the problems of shipbreaking.

In Malta, Greenpeace disclosed information that shows that Malta is the second largest exporter of toxic waste ships in the world in 2003 and in 2004. After highlighting the role of Malta on shipbreaking Greenpeace met with Minister Censu Galea responsible for Maritime Affairs and with Minister for Environment, Mr Pullicino. Greenpeace urged the minister to take immediate action to stop further pollution caused by Maltese end-of-life ships.

The Maltese ministers acknowledged the responsibility of Malta for the breaking of thousands of Maltese flagged ships. This is a breakthrough. This position is in line with the position of the European member states. The EU member states are of the opinion that flags states bear responsibility for the way ships are broken at the end of their commercial life.

The Maltese ministers promised that Malta willl follow Europe's position on the issue. They also promised to seriously look into the proposals of Greenpeace on the issue.

Malta will also consider enforcing the "notification obligation" of existing EU and Basel legislation on Maltese end-of-life ships. If this happens, shipowners flying the Maltese flag will have to inform the Maltese government in advance about their plans to decommission their ships. Only then Malta can ensure the clean breaking of Maltese end-of-life ships.

Greenpeace also asked the ministers for transparency. To disclose information on all Maltese single hull ships that will have to be taken out of commercial service because they are subject to international regulation on the phase out of single hull oil tankers.

Read the press release

Please read the letters that Greenpeace wrote to the Maltese ministers:
- Letter to the minister for the Environment
- Letter to the minister forMaritime Affairs