Spain – THE Government updates the rules of Shipping after 200 years

In recent years, the Maritime Administration has evolved substantially.

This is an initiative that "updates the general system for maritime traffic and terminates the contradictions between international agreements in force in Spain and disperses existing legislation in our country," the government.

Future legislation will provide the legal system "uniformity" required by international maritime law and increase legal certainty, since "ensures coordination between the Spanish standards, European and international conventions. It will also contribute to improving the productivity and competitiveness of the maritime sector. "

Soraya Saenz de Santamaria, Deputy Prime Minister, stressed the importance of the sector noting that “maritime traffic in 2011, in recession, increased by 3%, and Spanish shipping invoiced 2,300 million euros”. En España, ha añadido, “85% of imports and 50% of exports are by sea and only sports and recreational navigation sustains more than 100,000 jobs”.

The standard defines precisely the subject of navigation.

POLLUTION

Finally, the standard includes measures to prevent marine pollution and to regulate and define the responsibility in case of accident, a subject of topical after the acquittal and not guilty of "Prestige".

The Vice President has made clear that the regulation of boating accidents is made by reference to the agreements governing the matter in cases of collision, serious damage, salvage, wrecked or sunken property and pollution liability.

FUENTE: Industrias Pesqueras, Vigo.