This year's Annual Review reports strong financial results, continued strategic progress and enhanced support for shipowners operating in an increasingly complex and uncertain global environment.
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Increased Surveillance and Severe Fines for damage caused by anchoring
Maritime authorities, environmental police, and park rangers across the French Mediterranean coast have drastically intensified surveillance to prevent inadvertent seabed damage due to non-compliant anchoring.
Vessel operators face severe financial and legal penalties if their anchors or chains damage the protected underwater ecosystems.
Recent operations by park rangers and marine authorities — such as heightened patrols in the Port-Cros National Park in the South of France — have caught and penalized vessel operators following real-time on-water, drone, and underwater diver inspections.
A recent case involving a large Italian motorboat revealed that a single anchor pull uprooted an entire square metre of protected seagrass, which immediately resulted in legal proceedings and fines.
Under Article L. 415-3 of the French Environmental Code, damaging protected flora carries sanctions of up to €150,000 in fines and up to 3 years of imprisonment for individuals.
Under Article 131-38 of the French Penal Code, corporate entities (e.g., shipowners or chartering companies) face fines up to five times this amount (€750,000).
English translation of the articles of the French Environmental Code here.
Loss Prevention Guidelines
To safeguard your vessel against heavy liabilities, detentions, and environmental fines, we recommend implementing the following protocols:
Avoid Dark Seabed Areas: Never drop anchor over dark patches, which typically indicate deep and dense seagrass meadows.
Target Clear Sand: Ensure your vessel anchors strictly within visible sandy patches (white seabed areas) or utilises certified ecological mooring buoys (ZMEL) where available.
Utilise Helpful Apps: Crew should leverage specialised real-time mapping tools, such as the DONIA application, to verify the seabed composition before anchoring.
Control Chain Movement: Ensure proper anchor scope is maintained to prevent swinging anchor chains from dragging across and sweeping nearby protected vegetation.
Read Budd Group’s full article here.
