OPENING SPEECH BY THE HON. FRANCIS ZAMMIT DIMECH, MINISTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, ON THE OCCASION OF THE MEETING OF THE FOCAL POINTS OF THE REGIONAL MARINE POLLUTION EMERGENCY RESPONSE CENTRE FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA (REMPEC)

Ladies and Gentleman,

Director of REMPEC, Mr Robert Patruno,

It is always a pleasure and an honour for me to be invited to open the periodic meeting of the Focal points of REMPEC.

REMPEC has been established in Malta since 1976, when it was then known as ROCC, and this long association since the very inception and adoption of the Barcelona Convention signifies Malta's unwavering commitment to the protection of the Mediterranean Sea and to REMPEC.

REMPEC has accomplished with credit its task - any many others more - which were assigned to it at the time this regional centre was set up. Most of the chronic pollution brought about by bad operational practices has now practically stopped.

Even though the recent news in the financial and economic sectors have, and continue to be dominated by the so called ‘oil crises', and because most citizens in the world, and in context, those living in Europe, have still to find sustainable lifestyle, oil will continue to be transported through our sea in very large volumes.

With this continuing traffic of oil tankers, the risk of accidental massive oil pollution remains, and needs to be addressed.

We, the Contracting Parties are in a better position to deal with these type of emergencies, through the knowledge imparted to us and through the expertise made available through REMPEC.

I must at this point again give credit to the valuable contribution given to my country, by REMPEC, and by its present Director, in the formulation and testing of our National Contingency Plan to deal with oil pollution incidents.

Malta also appreciates the valuable work which REMPEC is carrying out to bring into effect Regional arrangements for dealing with, and for the mutual assistance in case of spills. Malta will indeed be more than willing, and is actively seeking to make and participate in arrangements with our neighbours for co-operation in dealing with large oil spills, for our mutual benefit.

I believe that in the case of massive accidental pollution occurring, such geographically specific arrangements will be invaluable in protecting our environmental, economic and touristic resources. Indeed I firmly believe that the whole Mediterranean should be covered by these more specific ‘regional' type of agreements. I firmly believe that in our small land locked sea, environmental damage suffered by one contracting party means a common damage to all of us and to a general setback to the whole Mediterranean eco-system and the many economic activities which depend upon its fragile resources.

Malta, being a small island lying right in the middle of the Mediterranean sea routes, has always felt to be especially at risk from oil pollution. Certainly I still recollect many years ago, that our beaches and coasts used to be polluted by tar and oil residues, resulting mainly from tank washings and discharges of dirty ballast waters.

Malta was amongst the first countries to install ballast water reception facilities so as to minimize this chronic type of pollution from around our seas. Malta has always striven and will continue to demand that the highest levels of environmental protection be applied, also in relation to the environmental protection of the Mediterranean.

We actively seek to establish stricter international standards for the transportation of oil and oil products. Since many countries are involved - not only Mediterranean countries - in the transportation of crude oil and oil products, be they exporters, receivers, carriers, or flag states, the improvements in the environmental situation can only result through internationally negotiated agreements, which can be applied on a larger, or significantly large scale. In this respect any special situations which may exist in our Mediterranean should be identified and brought into the negotiating process to improve the safety aspects of the transportation of oil.

The Ministry for the Environment will, next year be hosting the conference of Plenipotentiaries to adopt the revised text of the updated Emergency Protocol. The adoption of these long felt changes to the protocol will strengthen the protection regimen in our region.

We would like in this respect to remind, or perhaps to emphasise that we need to better address the emerging fact concerning the marine transportation of many chemical products and materials. Some, if not many of us, still feel relatively insecure in dealing with incidents and accidents involving ‘other materials' such as chemicals in bulk.

I appeal to REMPEC to apply its intellectual resources and training capabilities so that throughout the Mediterranean, there can be a basic uniform standard of preparation in the dealing of chemical type incidents. We can perhaps develop programmes and model contingency plans for dealing with these newer type of occurrences, and organize training of civil protection and of port workers personnel in managing such situations.

Malta will, if invited, try to make available its small but diverse infrastructure available as a location for such type of training exercise designed to develop these types of skills. Our small size conveniently locates within very easy reach such examples as a port and airport, a container terminal, a creditable amount of oil pollution combating equipment acquired through EU assistance and oil pollution combating vessels.

I hope that these ideas for more work for REMPEC will find support amongst you and my colleague Ministers responsible for the environment in the Mediterranean littoral states.

The Ministry for the Environment is closely following the matter of the relocation of the REMPEC premises. After looking at a number of sites, Government has decided to locate it in prestigious offices which are to be erected on the foreshore of the Grand Harbour, in a building which will be devoted to the administrative needs of our many maritime related institutions.

This project has already passed the preliminary stages of our development application process, and now detailed plans are being drawn which will incorporate the requirements of the centre.

I sincerely hope that the new premises will boost and encourage further efforts to be made by REMPEC in its search for better and innovative ways in assisting Contracting Parties to discharge their obligations under the Barcelona Convention.

I thank you for your attention and wish you a fruitful and profitable outcome to your deliberations over the coming days.