Oil Spill Response in Port Areas : Governance and the Polluter-Pays Principle

This article reports on a study of the economic implications of oil spill response regimens in eight ports in six countries: Antwerp, Hamburg, Rotterdam, Southampton, Vancouver (Canada), Houston, Los Angeles and Seattle. The authors conducted extensive library research and held meetings with different stakeholders involved in oil spills response in and around the ports. The authors also provide an overview of the agreements and conventions at the global and European level that are important to spill response protocols. The authors then report three findings: there is great variation in the functions that port authorities (PAs) undertake in regard to oil spill response; there is a split between a port viewed as a corporate entity managing only designated port resources or as a body of water and terminals used by ships; and traffic composition (together with the local geography) affects spill response management. For example, a high incidence of oil and chemical traffic can be expected to be linked with elevated protection against and, perhaps, experience with oil and chemical spills. Other topics discussed include response agencies and organizations involved in managing oil spills in ports; ownership of spill cleaning equipment; and cost ramifications and the “polluter pays” system. The authors conclude that the principle of the “polluter pays” plays out differently in varying real-world setting, including different strategies for allocating cost responsibility.

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  • Authors:
    • Duru, Okan
    • Lee, Jasmine Lam Siu
    • Tei, Alessio
    • Carlan, Valentin
    • Heaver, Trevor
    • Sys, Christa
    • Vanelslander, Thierry
  • Publication Date: 2018-11

Language

  • English

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Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 01691115
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Files: TRIS
  • Created Date: Jan 22 2019 11:39AM