19-03-2009 par Antidia Citorès“Bleu pétrole” (Petrol blue)... Surfrider wins against the Skulptor ship (as a tribute to the French singer Alain Bashung, the title of his album)

And it is the third boat condemned for an illegal rejection of hydrocarbon! Surfrider wins its trial against the captain of the Skulptor Anikushin ship, a Russian fighting flag.

Once again, Surfrider has brought suit against another cargo ship. Responsible for the most important pollution ever known offshore Le Havre (north of France), this ship has been sentenced to a 350 000 euro fine.

On Monday July 28^th of 2008, a plane from Le Havre’s customs noticed an illegal rejection at sea, in the slipstream of the Skulptor ship, about 65km north from the town of Saint Valéry en Caux. The layer was spreading over 25 kilometers of length and 50 meters of width. The trial took place on February 9^th, 2009. We are very happy about this verdict and we hope it will have a dissuasive impact.

Besides, the maritime news is packed at the present time. The directives and regulations of the legislative maritime package (called Ericka III) have been passed last week. Finally some preventive action against oil slicks: the designation of refuge harbors, ship monitoring by satellite, the supervision of organizations in charge of certification…

So many overhangs which will enter into force for the most part, by 2011.

From that time on, Surfrider will look after the rearrangement of its European laws by the state members and keeps enforcing “the pollutant pays” rule for the thug ships.