Oil Spills: effects and management

International Conference on Marine Incidents Management

19-20 October 2006BrugesSjon Huisman

North Sea Agency

The Netherlands

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MANAGINGEFFECTS or IMPACT

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Effects

• Ecological effects: sea life; flora and fauna at the coastline; Mari cultures

• Economic effects: loss of harvest of Mari cultures; recreation; loss of manpower; general trade (blocking ports)

• Emotional effects: not yet mentioned in contingency plans.

• Political effects: e.g. Nunca Mais

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Effects (2)

• Boost in developing new equipment

• Revision of existing plans and scenarios

• Incentive for improvement of organisations

• International discussions and meetings on new rules

• International cooperation(would EMSA exist: ERIKA/PRESTIGE?)

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Managing

• Three levels:- operational level

managing response operations- strategic/tactical level

managing the entire incident- policy level ministers level

governance

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What equipment,

Where to start,

Maintaining equipment,

Logistics,

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Managing strategic/tactic

• Matters of liability,• Generic legal aspects,• Impact assessment,• Consultations with coastal authorities

(municipalities; counties),• Response options ,• Waste treatment,• Claim management

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ManagingSample analysis

• Burden of proof with authorities,• Obvious perpetrator ?• Mixture of oils and residues• Mystery slicks, where is the polluter,• Investigations

• Conflict of interest, sampling or no sampling.

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Managing Mysteries

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Managing Mysteries

• Oil patches covering the beach, over 50 kilometres,

• No source identified,

• Seasonal effects,

• Claim management,

• FIND THE SOURCE!(more important than anything else; press, politicians)

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Managing mysteries

• Sampling/analysis,- poorly refined product bunkers- crude from Ukraine well.

• Paris MOU PSC search

• BONN AGREEMENT search- Bulk carrier found with damaged fuel tank,- Reference samples,

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Managing mysteries

• Burden of proof,• Preparing civil claim and• Preparing prosecution.

• Rumanian company was liable,• Captain and company punished

- main issue animal welfare• No payment received

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Managing mysteries

• Similarities and differences:- pollution impact assessment,- response measures,- health and safety aspects for responders- waste treatment,- claim management,

- evidence, prosecution,- media attention,- informing political level,- claim management,

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Management at EU level

• Guideline on incident management:- liability,- costs management,- claim management,

• Collective approach of P&I clubs

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