The Sea Empress had a single-hull design

A marine accident investigation report later concluded that oil pollution would have been avoided in the initial grounding if the vessel had been constructed to the double-hull design.

Wales MEP Jill Evans, who is a member of the Euro parliamentary committee with responsibility for the environment, has welcomed the decision.

Speaking from Strasbourg, she said: "This decision will provide extra protection to guard some of Wales' most sensitive coastlines.

"We all remember the Sea Empress disaster and its dreadful effect on the west Wales coastal environment and tourist industry."

She added: "Following that terrible experience and other more recent near misses, this is welcome news for all who are concerned with the safety of oil tankers."

Thousands of seabirds were killed in the disaster

Pembrokeshire suffered a near miss on Christmas Eve 1999 when the 15,000-tonne Blackfriars carrying 1,800 litres of fuel oil had to be pulled of a beach by St David's lifeboat.

The Sea Empress spillage contaminated 120 miles of Welsh coastline and led to a �60m clean-up operation.

A fine of �4m was later imposed on the Milford Haven Port Authority. The penalty was slashed on appeal to �750,000.

Court of Appeal judges were told that the original fine was putting the economic future of the port at risk.