Page 98: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (October 1997)

ing. The ship is scheduled to start drilling operations by the end of 1998 or early 1999.

IMO Defers Decision On

Double Hull Tankers

Tanker owners received some breathing room when it was announced last week that an inter- national plan to fast-track a double hull mandate would be tabled for a later date.

The International Maritime

Organization (IMO) agreed on

Sept. 22, to defer a decision on speeding up the replacement of single hull tankers by double hull vessels.

IMO said the issue may be dis- cussed further when the IMO's

Marine Environment Protection

Committee meets again next

March.

Japan recently has become espe- cially concerned about the dangers

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Circle 384 on Reader Service Card of oil pollution and has called on governments to offer financial incentives to encourage shipown- ers to scrap single hull tankers after the single hull very large crude carrier Diamond Grace spilt some 1,300 tons of crude into

Tokyo Bay in July.

Under regulations in force since 1994, single hull tankers have to be scrapped when they are 30 years old and face cargo load restrictions when they reach the age of 25.

Norway Reviews Terms For

Oil Exploration Licenses

Norway is reviewing procedures for awarding licenses for oil and gas exploration on the Norwegian continental shelf, the Oil and

Energy Ministry.

The ministry is assessing four options for the changes including group applications and an auction- ing system, a spokesperson at the ministry reported.

The NCS is divided into the mature North Sea, the Norwegian

Sea, which is gradually opening up, and the Barents Sea, which is completely undeveloped despite several minor and medium-sized gas discoveries.

The ministry was also consider- ing a licensing policy for the North

Sea and for areas where there were prospects adjacent to produc- ing fields and infrastructure, such as in the North Sea and

Norwegian Sea.

Norway adjusted licensing terms for an extra licensing round earlier this year, known as the

Barents Sea Project, in order to renew interest in an area that has failed to produce any major results despite extensive exploration since 1980.

In 1994 the government announced a package of proposals aimed at boosting activity and investment in Norwegian waters.

OT Africa Appoints First

Ivory Coast Manager

West African shipping specialist

OT Africa Line (Otal) said it has appointed a line manager to its agency office in Abidjan, Ivory

Coast for the first time.

Otal said the move reflected increasing trade to the region which has made Ivory Coast a 108 Maritime Reporter/Engineering News