326 



(a) the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 

 197.3; and 



(b) the Protocol relating to Intervention on the High Seas in Cases of Marine 

 Pollution by Substances other than Oil, 



the implementation of which should result in the achievement of the first objec- 

 tive but which only deals partially with the second objective ; 



Recognizing also that considerable progress has been made by the Organization 

 in furtherance of the second objective, by developing proposed international 

 rules and standards directed towards, or contributing to, the prevention, mitiga- 

 tion and minimization of accidental pollution, including the prevention of acci- 

 dents to ships, minimization of spillages after accident and mitigation of damages 

 after spillages ; 



Recognizing further that a considerable amount of work in this field leading 

 to the formulation of, and amendments to, conventions for which the Organiza- 

 tion is depositary, and other instruments relating to ship safety and prevention 

 of pollution, has yet to be accomplished ; 



Recommends that the Organization pursue and encourage studies relating to 

 pollution abatement in the marine environment such as : 



(a) collection of scientific data on the identification of harmful substances 

 transported by ships ; 



(b) collection of ship casualty statistics particularly those relating to very 

 large tankers ; and 



(c) analysis of such casualty data including the interrelationship of average 

 tanker size and age with incidents and magnitude of pollution casualties ; 



Recommends further that the Organization continue its work with a high 

 priority on the development of measures for the minimization of accidental 

 spillages, particularly those relating to : 



(a) Prevention of accidents to ships including 



(i) safe navigational procedures and traffic separation schemes for the pre- 

 vention of collisions, strandings and groundings, this to include the ultimate 

 development of international standards for navigation aids ; 



(ii) watchkeeping practices in port and at sea and the training and certifica- 

 tion of seamen ; 



(iii) provision of modern navigational and communications equipment; 



(iv) the operational procedures during the transfer, loading and unloading 

 of oil and other noxious substances ; 



(v) maneuverability of large ships ; 



(vi) construction and equipment of ships carrying oil or other noxious sub- 

 stances ; and 



( vii ) safe carriage of dangerous goods in packages and containers : 



(b) Minimization of the risk of escape of oil and other noxious substances in 

 the event of maritime accidents including facilitation of transfer of cargo in 

 the event of accidents ; 



(r) Minimization of pollution damage to the marine environment including 

 development of appropriate cleaning, retrieval and other similar procedures; 

 with a view to having appropriate action taken by way of the adoption and 

 implementation at an early date of amendments to existing conventions relating 

 to safety at sea and prevention of pollution or of new conventions as appropriate. 



Effects of Oil Pollution on the Marine Ecosystem 



acknowledgment 



The information contained herein is taken from a literature survey conducted 

 by the sjiecial interagency task force for the development of an environmental 

 impact statement for the proposed trans-Alaska pii>eline (Volume IV), United 

 States Department of the Interior, 1072. 



effects of oil ox MARINE ECOSYSTEMS 



Pollution of the ocean by oil is a world-wide problem of growing concern to 

 many nations. The magnitude of the problem is recognized by international 

 organizations of governments and of industry, and has been the subject of 

 several national and international conferences in recent years. The sources of 

 oil in the marine environment have been studied by tlie Missachusetts Institute 

 of Teclinology (1970) and by the U.S. Coast Guard (1972; see also Marine 

 Transportation in volume 3 of this statement). 



