Portugal is considering moving its shipping lanes further off-shore, to avoid more incidents such as the sinking of an oil tanker last week that has already resulted in extensive pollution to the coast of northwest Spain. Portuguese Prime Minister Durão Barroso told reporters at the NATO summit in Prague that his government will sign a protocol with the Spanish government on December 16 to allow for rapid warnings of accidents, such as the one that led to the sinking of the "Prestige".
The Greek-owned tanker went down last Tuesday after being crippled in a still unexplained accident the previous Wednesday.
The Greek-owned tanker went down last Tuesday after being crippled in a still unexplained accident the previous Wednesday.
The moving of shipping lanes, currently between 25-30 kilometres off the Portuguese coast, would also be discussed with Spanish officials, the Prime Minister was quoted as saying by the Lusa News Agency.
Durão Barroso also praised the Portuguese Navy's rapid reaction to the sinking of the Bahamian-registered tanker, which was carrying over 70,000 metric tonnes of fuel oil when it sank, just north of Portugal's territorial waters.
Durão Barroso also praised the Portuguese Navy's rapid reaction to the sinking of the Bahamian-registered tanker, which was carrying over 70,000 metric tonnes of fuel oil when it sank, just north of Portugal's territorial waters.