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Articles: Politics | The oil tanker 'Prestige', The Bahamas ship Registry, Our world of Oil and the Environmental and Soc
- Mr. Dennis Dames
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The oil tanker 'Prestige', The Bahamas ship Registry, Our world of Oil and the Environmental and Social realities of the global thirst for more of the 'black liquid gold'
By: Dennis A. Dames©2002
Nassau, Bahamas
Email: dpoetry2002@yahoo.com
The oil tanker 'Prestige', a Bahamas registered ship- sunk in the North Atlantic ocean on Tuesday November 19, 2002 - after separating in two pieces about 150 miles off Spain's northwest coast. The cargo tanks of the vessel are reported to be down in just over two miles of ocean with 20 million gallons of crude oil. One million gallons of the 'power plant' fuel was said to have spilled instantly with the breaking apart of the carrier, instigating an oil slick in the area of 2,200 square miles.
The harmful environmental, and economic impact of the Prestige's misfortune, have been reverberated throughout the international community. The fishing industry in the northwest of Spain- in the areas of La Coruna and Caion has been devastated as a consequence of the shipping disaster, so are some of the Spanish beaches and wildlife habitats. It is believed that the worse is yet to come, as the fate of the bulk cargo sit below deep ocean and under some 5,000 pounds of pressure per square inch and an approaching oil slick that is threatening coast lines with the 'thick heavy oil'.
While fears mount about the further, and future damage to the west coasts of Spain and Portugal relating to the pressurized heavy oil at the bottom of the Atlantic, a nearing oil slick, and the possibility that it could find its way seeping through the strait of Gibraltar-thereby providing more environmental destruction to the coast lines of other countries of the Mediterranean- the blame game is gaining momentum. The Bahamas' ship registry regime is under international scrutiny, so are the owners of the vessel, the circumstances surrounding the unfortunate ordeal, the issue of single hulled oil tankers and the list goes on.
The questions of liability, accountability and the licensing procedure in the shipping industry are also being examine in light of the current tragedy. In the mean time, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has announced that it's subsidiary- the Civil Liberty Convention, will fund the clean-up; something that will be well received by the countries concerned, but will not answer the question of who is ultimately responsible.
There is evidence that The Bahamas is simply not a 'flag of convenience' country for the rejected ships of the world. In the case of the Prestige for example, documents exist to show that the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS)-contracted by the Bahamian government, had completed surveys on the oil tanker and, 'no statutory deficiencies' was recorded.
There appears to be a more prevailing issue at hand here. That is, the demand within our universe for the 'black liquid gold'. As long as the status quo's thirst for oil dominates our industrial world, it means that shipping will remain an integral component of our demands to keep our engines up and running. So, the potential for more similar devastations will remain a natural possibility. Yes, the elimination of single hulled oil tankers over time, will greatly assist with the management of preventing major oil spills. The year 2015, is expected to be the phased out date for single hulled tankers like the 'Prestige'. The most recent experience is expected to enforced that year as the time to expect a new generation of big oil tankers with protective hulls.
The reality today however is, that the majority of oil tankers in the world are single hulled-52%. Who flags they are carrying, is immaterial to that fact. If we want to see less oil tanker disasters, then we have to take our alternative sources of energy more seriously. It's the only way we will have less oil carriers traveling our oceans and posing serious dangers to our environment and way of life on a daily basis.
Mother nature, and human error cannot be defeated through a stronger and more durable oil tanker, or any other ship for that matter. No new law or regulation will prevent another ecological catastrophe. It is our reliability and consumer ability for the 'liquid black gold' which make us vulnerable and to a greater degree, accountable collectively as a global village that needs to keep those big generators on the move.
Every oil consuming nations and peoples, appear to accept the inherent risks involve in the sea transportation of the fuels needed to sustain their respective economies and standard of living. The fact that such tragedies are widely viewed by pundits, as really a temporary disruption of the affected ecosystems, makes it even more soothing to the conscience of man.
Dealing effectively with a big oil spill is becoming more and more familiar and effective to the experts. In the case of the 'Prestige', it is said to be, 'a saving grace', that the oil spill would be far enough from the coast to fight the slick. Despite it being more difficult to mobilize the cleanup effort, it is viewed by experts as more advantageous to have the slick way out to sea- where it will prove more manageable.
While investigations are continuing into the 'Prestige' disaster in many quarters, damage control to the environment should remain the key focus. Like in many identifiable locations around the world, life will return to normal in no time, and the transporters of our fuels will continue to make their rounds in the atmosphere of enormous risks.
©2002 Dennis A. Dames
www.Bahamian.web.com
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