The UAE is to develop a codified National Oil Spill Contingency Plan (NOSCP) to co-ordinate procedures for responding to oil spills. The three phase implementation is scheduled to begin in the third quarter of 2015.
Speaking at the Arabia Offshore Forum, Dr Ajeeth Cheppudira, technical advisor for the Ministry of Environment and Water, said that it was crucial for the UAE to adopt a unified strategy sooner rather than later.
“Currently in the UAE we don’t have a contingency plan on a national level. A lot of ports in the UAE do not have a contingency plan for oil spills at all,” he told the conference.
Jason Knight, communications manager, Lloyds Register believes that companies will welcome the move.
“Oil & gas companies are likely to welcome a joined up approach to oil spill response where it is clear who is in control, who does what and it is understood how identifiable resources can be mobilised”, he said.
The NOSCP will create a new Marine Environmental Protection Authority (MEPA), which will be charged with two distinct remits; surveillance and monitoring, as well as incident control.
Serious oil spills at the east coast beaches of Mirbiah and Gadfa have raised public awareness of the issue and prompted the government to implement the National Oil Spill Contingency Plan.
