1.No oil tanker shall be allowed to operate under the flag of a Member State, nor shall any oil tanker, irrespective of its flag, be allowed to enter into ports or offshore terminals under the jurisdiction of a Member State after the anniversary of the date of delivery of the ship in the year specified hereafter, unless such tanker is a double hull oil tanker:
for category 1 oil tankers:
2003 for ships delivered in 1980 or earlier,
2004 for ships delivered in 1981,
2005 for ships delivered in 1982 or later;
for category 2 and 3 oil tankers:
2003 for ships delivered in 1975 or earlier,
2004 for ships delivered in 1976,
2005 for ships delivered in 1977,
2006 for ships delivered in 1978 and 1979,
2007 for ships delivered in 1980 and 1981,
2008 for ships delivered in 1982,
2009 for ships delivered in 1983,
2010 for ships delivered in 1984 or later.
2.Notwithstanding paragraph 1, oil tankers of category 2 or 3 which are equipped only with double bottoms or double sides not used for the transport of oil and extending for the whole length of the cargo tank, or with double-hulled spaces not used for the transport of oil and extending for the whole length of the cargo tank, but which do not meet the conditions for exemption from the provisions of ►M6 Regulation 20.1.3 of Annex I to Marpol 73/78 ◄ , may continue to be operated after the date referred to in paragraph 1, but not beyond the anniversary of the date of delivery of the ship in the year 2015 or the date on which the ship reaches the age of 25 years from its date of delivery, whichever is the sooner.
3.No oil tanker carrying heavy grades of oil shall be allowed to fly the flag of a Member State unless such tanker is a double-hull tanker.
No oil tanker carrying heavy grades of oil, irrespective of its flag, shall be allowed to enter or leave ports or offshore terminals or to anchor in areas under the jurisdiction of a Member State, unless such tanker is a double-hull oil tanker.
4.Oil tankers operated exclusively in ports and inland navigation may be exempted from the obligation under paragraph 3 provided that they are duly certified under inland waterway legislation.
5.Oil tankers with a deadweight of less than 5 000 tonnes must comply with the provisions of paragraph 3 no later than the anniversary of the date of delivery of the ship in the year 2008.
6.Until 21 October 2005 a Member State may, in cases where ice conditions require the use of an ice-strengthened vessel, allow ice-strengthened single-hull oil tankers, equipped with double bottoms not used for the transport of oil and extending over the entire length of the cargo tank, carrying heavy grades of oil, to enter or leave a port or offshore terminal or anchor in an area under the jurisdiction of that Member State, provided that the heavy grades of oil are transported only in the vessel's central tanks.