Total is charged guilty of pollution

Fabrice Rousselot wants this "judgement to finally force maritime transport operators to be transparent, accountable and make a visible effort to prevent this type of catastrophe. In eight years, the Erika, an oil tanker sailing under the Maltese flag, owned by Liberians, managed by Italians and chartered by a company from Panama with an Indian captain has become, very much despite itself, the key symbol of a sector that uses opacity as one of its rules of conduct. Measures have already been taken for single bottom oil tankers, but surveillance needs to be reinforced, and more power and resources the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) created in 2003. Legislation also needs to evolve, notably on the tricky question of flags of convenience. The polluters know what they risk If they don't do anything."

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