Oil Spill Hazards

Impacts

Environmental impact: Water Contamination, and Sediment Contamination.

Wildlife Impact: Direct harm to marine life, Toxicity, and Disruption of food chains.

Oil spills can have a range of adverse effects on the environment, ecosystems, wildlife, and human communities. The severity of these effects depends on factors such as the volume of oil spilled, the type of oil, the location of the spill, and the effectiveness of response efforts. Examples of impact such as;

Economy impact: Business disruption to the fisheries and Tourism industry

Human Health Impact: Air Quality (if oil burning), Contaminated Seafood, and Long-Term effects (chronic exposure).

Safeguard protection

Safeguard protection against oil spill hazards involves a combination of preventive measures, preparedness planning, and effective response strategies. Examples of safeguard protection against oil spill hazards such as;

Preventive Measure

• Strict Regulatory Compliance: There are several international standards such as the International Maritime Organization (IMO) MARPOL Annex I and the International Convention and Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Co-operation (OPRC) which provides a framework for combating major incidents or threats of marine pollution.
  • Annex I Regulation for the Prevention of Pollution by Oil
    • Crude Oil Washing operations procedure;
    • Oil Record Book;
    • Shipboard Oil Pollution Emergency Plan, SOPEP
• Vessel Maintenance: The American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), Lloyd’s Register (LR), and Det Norske Veritas Germanischer Lloyd (DNV GL) provide rules and guidelines for the design, construction, and maintenance of vessels.
• Use of Double-Hulled Vessel: Implementation of double-hulled vessel designs, which provide an additional layer of protection against oil spills in the event of collision or grounding.

Oil Spill Response Planning

• Contingency Planning: The main activities during developing the Contingency Plan such as To understand application regulation, Risk Assessment, Identify critical response elements, Identify communication plan, Training and Drills, and Community Outreach and Stakeholder Engagement. A contingency plan is a strategic tool that contributes to an organization’s resilience, adaptability, and ability to navigate unexpected challenges.

Use of Oil Spill Response Technologies:

• Containment and Recovery Equipment: Pre-positioning oil spill response equipment, such as booms, skimmers, and other containment and recovery tools, in strategic locations enhances the ability to respond quickly to spills. The relevant codes and standards such as ASTM F1523-94: Standard Guide for Selection of Booms in accordance with Water Body Classification, ISO 21070: Ship and marine technology Marine Environment Protection – Management and Handling of Shipboard Garbage.
• Chemical Dispersant: Oil spill dispersants are chemical agents design to break down and disperse oil into smaller droplets in water, enhancing its natural degradation by microorganisms. Key characteristics and components of oil spill dispersant include surfactant, solvent, emulsifier, and inhibitor. To choose the chemical dispersant, the following factors are necessary to be considered;
  • Regulatory Approval;
  • Effectiveness;
  • Toxicity and Environmental Impact;
  • Application Method;
  • Availability and Shelf Life;
• Bioremediation: Both bioremediation and chemical dispersants play roles in environmental management. However, bioremediation relies on living organisms such as bacteria, fungi, or plants to naturally break down and metabolize pollutants in the environment.