The role of international cooperation on marine oil spill response in Finland and Baltic Sea States

Transcription

1 The role of international cooperation on marine oil spill response in Finland and Baltic Sea States International Expert Conference on The Safety of Navigation and Environmental Security in a Transboundary Context in the Black Sea Basin Odessa, Ukraine, June 2008 Kari Lampela MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATIONS OF UKRAINE Finnish Environment Institute, SYKE

2 Outline Background Baltic Sea Response difficulties Baltic approach International cooperation HELCOM Copenhagen agreement Bilateral agreements EMSA Conclusions

3 Baltic Sea Nine different countries, nine different languages Largest brackish water area km 2 Mean depth 53 metres Significant fresh water input, low salinity Nearly non-tidal Heavily polluted 25 to 30 years to change the water Gulf of Finland 400 km long, km wide Mean depth 37 m, max. 123 m Can have ice coverage for the whole Gulf

4 Why Baltic Sea States needs an effective and 24 hour response readiness The whole Baltic Sea is already heavily polluted. Narrow and shallow fairways. Heavy and constantly increasing maritime traffic. Baltic Sea is one of the main routes of the Russian oil to the west. Difficult ice conditions especially in the Gulf of Bothnia and in the eastern part of the Gulf of Finland.

5 Oil transportation in the Gulf of Finland through main oil ports 300 6th June 2008 Million tonnes Oil transported in 2007: about 145 Mtn by year 2010 by year 2015

6 Baltic approach The oil spills response in the Baltic Sea is based on national legislation and HELCOM recommendations. Main principles: Prefer mechanical recovery Restricted use of other methods like Dispersants In situ burning Aerial surveillance Reliable drift models Cooperation with neigbouring and other Baltic Sea counties Assistance from EMSA

7 International cooperation Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission, Helsinki Commission, HELCOM. Members: Nine Baltic Sea countries and EU Main tools: Recommendations and ministerial declarations Working groups Response manuals Organize exercises Areal cooperation Pictures from BALEX DELTA exercise Gdynia, Poland September 6, 2006

8 Main recommendations under HELCOM Response Ensuring adequate emergency capacity Further development and use of Drift Forecasting for Oils and other Harmful Substances in the Baltic Cooperation and assistance to Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Russia in the field of Combatting Marine Pollution Incidents Restricted use of Chemical agents and other Non-chemical means in Oil Combatting Operations on the Baltic Sea Area Minimum ability to respond to Oil spillages in Oil Terminals

9 Main recommendations cont. Reporting on Incidents Involving Harmful Substances and Emergency Dumping Measures in order to Combat Pollution from Offshore Units Airborne Surveillance with Remote Sensing Equipment in the Baltic Sea Area Special Cooperation in Case of a Chemical Tanker Accident in the Baltic Sea Development of national ability to respond to spillages of oil and other harmful substances Recommendation Concerning Establishing of a Pollution Reporting System for Pollution Incidents

10 HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan (adopted 15 November 2007), among others: New assessment of risks of oil and chemical pollution in order to identify the gaps in the response capacity in each country and region. Decision support systems for use of dispersants. Two new recommendations in the maritime field: Strengthening of sub-regional cooperation in the response field. Further measures to improve the safety of navigation in ice conditions.

11 The HELCOM response vessel fleet and surveillance planes

12 HELCOM cooperation in aerial surveillance Based on HELCOM recommendation of aerial surveillance. Mainly used to detect illegal releases. Over 238 releases observed Organize also Coordinated Extended Pollution Control Operations, CEPCO flights. CEPCO South operation between Sweden and Poland October flights, 26 possible pollutions observed.

13 Illegal oil discharges observed in the Baltic Sea during aerial surveillance in 2007

14 International cooperation, cont. Copenhagen Agreement, signed 1971, revised Agreement covers Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Norway and Island General commitments: The Parties commit themselves to cooperate in protecting the marine environment against contamination of the sea by oil or other harmful substances which pose a serious and imminent threat to essential interests of one or several Parties. Organize exercises between neighbouring countries Supports R&D.

15 International cooperation, cont. Additionally in Finland: Bilateral governmental agreements Russia Finland Estonia Finland Trilateral cooperation between the Gulf of Finland States Picture from joint Finnish Russian oil combatting Exercise in Viborg Bay, Russia, June 2007

16 European Union EMSA, European Maritime Safety Agency Based in Lisbon Hired five response vessels for the Baltic Sea Satellite imagery service Organize training, seminars, etc. Host the Consultative Technical Group for Marine Pollution Preparedness and Response (CTG MPPR)

17 Still existing shortcomings in the oil combatting capacity in the Baltic, Finnish point of view Lack of vessels which can operate in high sea conditions. Lack of ordinary response vessels in some countries. Collecting and pumping of high viscous oils. Inadequate techniques and capacity for operations in ice conditions in case of large spills. Aerial surveillance is not operationally and regularly used in all Baltic Sea countries. Lack of efficient shoreline cleaning equipments and techniques.

18 Thank you for your attention Questions?