Date of Award
1996
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Master of Science in Maritime Affairs
Specialization
General Maritime Administration & Environment Protection
Campus
Malmö, Sweden
Country
Republic of Congo
First Advisor
Sampson, Theodore.
Abstract
The subject intends to give an integrated approach to the protection of the Congolese marine environment against oil pollution by the evaluation of the existing contingency planning. It will show the necessity for the country to get a real contingency plan. The Congo has a small coastline without any world-known environmentally sensitive areas. However, shipping routes, oil exploration, the establishment of offshore fields and floating sea terminals have increased the risk of marine pollution, which has became a reality. Does, the Congo at present have resources, ability and the possibility to respond to environmental disasters ? What is the level of risk? Is the existing contingency planning sufficient to handle the situation? What is the role and the responsibility of the government in the establishment of a secure national contingency plan? What are the possible solutions to contain oil pollution from and towards neighbouring countries? The dissertation proposes to examine these factors, to determine the state response available to the emergency situation in the Congo, to draw conclusions and to make necessary proposals to overcome deficiencies or evident weaknesses in the current system. With this dissertation, the author will not only try to analyse various aspects of these issues, but will also show from different studies, possible solutions to the current problems, even if it is not really the specific intent of the author to do so. Other specialists may subserviently offer solutions as these questions should interest people in neighbouring countries or in the region who are concerned with the same problem.