SENATOR SUSAN COLLINS URGES AMERICAN PETROLEUM INSTITUTE TO ENCOURAGE INVESTMENT IN DOUBLE-HULLED TANKERS

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Susan Collins today urged Byron Cavaney, President of the American Petroleum Institute, to encourage oil and oil transportation member industries to place orders for double-hulled tankers in order that they be on schedule with the 25 year single-hull phase-out requirement of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA-90).

"While several of the American Petroleum Institute's member companies have led the way in ordering double-hulled oil tankers from U.S. Shipyards, I am concerned by the lack of orders placed to date by the oil and oil transportation industries," said Senator Susan Collins. "In order to continue meeting our Nation's energy transportation requirements, it is important that American-built, double- hull tankers are phased in rapidly."

When Congress passed the OPA-90, it provided a 25-year phase-out schedule in response to concerns expressed by oil companies that a more accelerated time schedule could stress the shipbuilding capacity that existed in 1990. Since 1990, there have been a total of only nine oceangoing double hulled crude carriers and 10 double-hulled clean product tankers ordered.