After the disaster of the PRESTIGE, the European Union (EU) adopted amending regulation No. 1726/2003 for banning the transport of heavy grade of oil in single-hull tankers to and from EU port, accelerating the phase-out schedule and requirements for Condition Assessment Scheme (CAS) compliance. This regulation took effect on 21 October 2003.

Meanwhile, the IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) adopted amendments to regulation 13G, new regulation 13H of Annex I of MARPOL and amendment to the CAS regulation on 4 December 2003 as the resolution MEPC.111(50) and the resolution MEPC.112(50), respectively. Reference is made to the ClassNK Technical Information No. TEC-0557 dated 12 December 2003.

The EU Committee decided on some alignments between EU regulations and MARPOL regulations especially for the clarification on the CAS requirements and released the amending regulation No.2172/2004, which took effect on 5 January 2005.

According to the amending regulation No.2172/2004, which is corresponding to the requirement of the MARPOL regulation, the first CAS survey for Category 2 or Category 3 single-hull oil tanker, which enter or leave ports or offshore terminals or anchor in areas under the jurisdiction of EU's Member State, shall be carried out concurrent with the first scheduled intermediate or renewal (special) survey:
- after 5 April 2005, or
- after the date when the ship reaches 15 years of age,
whichever occurs later.

For any questions about the above, please contact:

NIPPON KAIJI KYOKAI (ClassNK)
Survey Department, Administration Center, Head Office
Address: 4-7 Kioi-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-8567, Japan
Tel.: +81-3-5226-2027 / 2028
Fax: +81-3-5226-2029
E-mail: svd@classnk.or.jp
Attachment:
1. Commission Regulation (EC) No. 2172/2004
2. Commission Regulation (EC) No. 1726/2003