Funding for alternative research by EPA and the 
Corps has not been a result of appropriations for 
the Dumping Act, but from other legislative author- 
ities. Although Section 203 specifies the Department 
of Commerce as the lead agency, NOAA has de- 
ferred this responsibility to EPA where facilities, 
expertise, and a history of this type of research exist. 
The Maritime Administration (MarAd) is also in- 
volved in alternative research. There is a current plan 
to support the development of a U.S. flag capability 
to incinerate toxic chemical wastes at sea. A Fina! 
Environmental Impact Statement has been prepared 
describing this MarAd Chemical Waste Incinerator 
Ship Project. This Project is in harmony with Section 
203 of the 1972 Ocean Dumping Act. Recently, 
MarAd contracted out the preparation of “Study of 
the Economics and Environmental Viability of a 
U.S. Flag Toxic Chemical Incineration Ship.” 
Oil and the Marine Environment 
Introduction 
Oil finds its way into the marine environment 
through both natural pathways and human accidents. 
The total annual input of petroleum hydrocarbons 
to the world’s ocean has been estimated to be as 
much as 6 million metric tons.°* Of this amount, over 
35 percent results from ship and tanker operations; 
1.9 million metric tons (31 percent) from river and 
urban runoff; 0.8 million metric tons (13 percent) 
from coastal refineries, and industrial and municipal 
wastes; 0.6 million metric tons (9.8 percent) each 
from atmospheric fallout and natural seeps; and 
0.08 million metric tons (1.3 percent) from offshore 
oil production. 
Ship and tanker operations together with river and 
urban runoff account for nearly two-thirds of the 
petroleum hydrocarbons entering the marine environ- 
ment. Tanker transportation will continue to play 
an important role in the U.S. petroleum distribution 
system, particularly in moving crude oil from Alaska 
and in moving oil products from Gulf Coast re- 
fineries to East Coast consumers. In the foreign 
trade, regardless of the outcome of the Federal 
government’s efforts to reduce foreign energy de- 
pendence, U.S. waterborne petroleum imports are 
likely to remain substantial for some years to come. 
In 1975, more than 43 percent of the 749 million 
short tons (679.5 million metric tons) of U.S. water- 
borne traffic was accounted for by petroleum and 
petroleum products." In 1975, U.S. oil import levels 
averaged slightly over 6.0 million barrels per day— 
the same level that is now the goal of the Administra- 
tion’s energy program to reduce oil imports. By 
1976, oil imports had increased to 7.3 million 
barrels per day. Some energy analysts are of the 
opinion that the 6.0 million barrels per day goal 
for 1985 is not likely to be attained and that 1985 
oil imports, even with optimistic assumptions, will 
likely be between 10 and 12 million barrels per 
day.*’ Under these circumstances, waterborne petro- 
“National Academy of Sciences. Petroleum in the Marine 
Environment. Washington, D.C., 1975, p. 6. 
"U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Waterborne Commerce of 
the United States, Part 5: National Summary. Vicksburg, Miss., 
1975, pp. 3-11. 
leum carriage requirements would be substantially 
larger. 
In response to the rapid expansion in both the 
quantity of oil moving in international commerce 
and the average distances involved, the world tanker 
fleet registered a more than eight-fold increase in 
aggregate capacity over the 20-year period 1955-75. 
From 1955 to 1965, the capacity of the fleet more 
than doubled, rising from 42 million deadweight 
tons to 93 million deadweight tons. From 1965 te 
1975, aggregate capacity increased by more than 
three and one-half times and at the end of 1975 
stood at 347 million deadweight tons. °° 
Over this same period, average vessel size also 
increased dramatically, reflecting the substantial 
economies associated with large tanker operations, 
particularly on the longer voyages that have become 
far more common in recent years. Today it is esti- 
mated that the cost of transporting a barrel of oil 
from the Middle East to the United States aboard a 
vessel in the 250,000 deadweight ton range is about 
half the cost of transportation aboard a 50,000 dead- 
weight ton vessel." In response to economic induce- 
ments of this magnitude, the average size tanker in 
the world fleet grew from 15,500 deadweight tons 
in 1955 to 27,100 deadweight tons in 1965 and to 
58,200 deadweight tons in 1975.°° Supertankers 
now in service range from 100,000 to 500,000 dead- 
weight tons. More than 116 tankers over 200,000 
deadweight tons have been. built since 1966. In 
1976, supertankers of all sizes represented 55 per- 
cent of the world’s tanker capacity. 
Based on a review of 1973-76 data, about 12,400 
polluting incidents are detected annually in the 
navigable waters of the United States: Of this total, 
*5 U.S. Congress, Senate, Committee on Energy and Natural 
Resources. Project Interdependence: U.S. and World Energy 
Outlook Through 1990 (A Summary Report). 95th Cong., Ist 
sess. Washington, D.C., Government Printing Office, 1977, p. 2. 
® Sun Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company, Bulk Ship 
Product Group. Analysis of World Tank Ship Fleet—December 
31, 1975. Chester, Pa., November 1976, p. 1. 
‘U.S. Congress, Office of Technology Assessment. Oil Trans- 
portation by Tankers: An Analysis of Marine Pollution and 
Safety Measures. Washington, D.C., Government Printing Office, 
1975, pp. 23-24. 
® Sun Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company, op. cit. note 66, 
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