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Issue 625
140mm
Could you sell 77mm this space? 637 708 491 SOUTH EDITION
07 - 13 OCT 2011
The Maria Elisa
Scottish salt stranded by Louise Clarke THOUSANDS OF tonnes of salt destined to de-ice Scotland’s roads this winter are stuck in Torrevieja after the vessel transporting it was impounded by officials. The Maria Elisa, a Liberian tanker, has been held off the coast of Torrevieja for the last eight days: its owners must pay a fine of €60,000 for technical deficiencies before it is allowed to leave. The merchant vessel, under a Liberian flag but owned by a German company, remains at anchor opposite the port of Torrevieja by order of the Ministry of Development, who have applied the rules
of the Paris Memorandum, an international convention governing the safety of ships and their crews. According to a source the ship supposedly violates rules and endangers the lives of her crew due to poor maintenance. BANK GUARANTEE The owner needs to pay the fine or face disciplinary proceedings before the vessel can set sail. Inspectors have identified shortcomings in charts, communication systems and electricity. According to the inspection report, the deficiencies put the ten man crew at risk. The Maria Elisa arrived in the harbour last Wednesday (28th September), scheduled to collect
5,700 tonnes of salt bound for Scotland. It was due to leave the same day but was halted by the inspectors following the routine inspection. The vessel, which measure 115 metres in length and 50 feet across, is newly built and is anchored less than a mile off the coast of Torrevieja. According to a source at the Ministry of Development, the owner is trying to organise a bank guarantee to enable payment of the fine. Meanwhile, representatives of the vessel’s owner have assured the Ministry that all the identified deficiencies on board have been corrected. Most of the ships that visit Torrevieja are destined for the Nordic countries and the UK, where the salt is needed to de-ice roads during the winter months.