Tanker companies are being urged by a lobby group not to send single-skinned ships into the Solent for fear of an accident and oil spill.

The Solent Protection Society say a major oil spill like that which happened off the Spanish coast last winter, involving the aged single hull tanker Prestige, would have very serious consequences for the Solent and its environment.

New EU legislation has now banned all single hull tankers trading in our waters from 2010 and in the meantime some countries – such as France and Spain – have precluded them from carrying the potential major pollutants fuel oil and heavy crude oils with effect from 1st September this year.

Companies operating in Solent Waters have not yet agreed to do this however.