Europe puts pressure on Switzerland to adopt the prohibition on degassing for inland tankers while sailing

Minister (NL) Mark Harbers of infrastructure and Water Management is going to increase the pressure on Switzerland to get a faster ban on sailing degassing. According to the minister, Switzerland is the last country of the so-called Rhine-bank countries to approve the new agreements on shipping degassing. Minister Harbers is in talks with his Swiss colleague to accelerate this and hopes that the ban will be there by the end of 2023.

In Belgium, the French-speaking region of Wallonia has given the green light for the ban and the federal government can now take a decision there, says the minister.

“We also put pressure on France. The other countries on the banks of the Rhine, including the Netherlands, have already approved the upcoming ban. If all countries agree to the agreements, the ban can be introduced.

Independently establishing a ban on sailing degassing in the Netherlands, the minister does not see fit. “Then we create waste tourism,” says minister Harbers. “Because then the skippers have to get rid of the junk in Germany just before they enter the Netherlands. Or in this case sailing degassing.”Harbers doesn’t think that’s appropriate for Germany. That country is ahead of the Netherlands in banning sailing degassing. “They have already given their approval to come to a ban.”

Minister Harbers was present at the port of Flevokust in Lelystad. A mobile degassing plant was set up there with the aim of seeing what is needed to stop sailing degassing. Deputy Cora Smelik indicated that she wanted to make haste with arranging infrastructure in order to be able to stop sailing degassing even before the international ban.

Nick Schramm is tech savvy with strong engineering education behind. His interest in sciences helps the whole WeeklyNewsReview stuff to keep informed about various topics of the modern technology.