National Marine Contingency Plan being finalised

The Ministry for the Environment will shortly be issuing the draft National Marine Contingency Plan to all those concerned in order to ensure utmost cooperation between the different entities that would be involved in the anti-pollution response operations and to ensure that each and everyone is prompted into action if ever we are faced with a disaster.

Consequently, following the designation of the National Co-ordinating Authority, the Government of Malta will be acceding to the Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Cooperation Convention (OPRC).

This was stated by the Minister for the Environment Francis Zammit Dimech at a press conference this morning to launch a database developed by the Regional Marine Pollution Emergency Response Centre for the Mediterranean Sea (REMPEC) in collaboration with Malta University Services, for use by the Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention to assist first respondents in decision-making during marine spill situations.

Minister Zammit Dimech recalled that several past catastrophic events had enticed nations into forming an alliance and to establish a common front to counteract similar situations. This course of action led to the development of several international treaties, with a view to reduce the incidence of accidental spillages of oil and chemicals at sea and to provide mechanisms for effective assistance and cooperation in cases of emergency.

A very important agreement was signed in 1975 by countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea. Under the Protocol for the Prevention of Pollution of the Mediterranean by oil and other harmful substances, the Contracting Parties have pledged to take the necessary precautionary measures and to assist one another in case of any such eventuality. It was for this noble purpose that REMPEC was born and we are proud to have hosted this centre on our shores for so long, Dr Zammit Dimech said.

He added that cognisant of the obligations emanating from the Protocol and more and more so in view of our vulnerable position, the Government of Malta took decisive steps to ensure that the country will be prepared for when the need arises. This is because a massive oil spill could have a deleterious effect on our health, on our economy and last, but not least, on our ecology, Minister Zammit Dimech said.

He also recalled that in 1990, the Government of Malta, through the European Union-Malta Third Financial Protocol, managed to obtain a grant of no less than 2.4 million ECUs for this purpose. He said that all the necessary equipment has now been procured.

Dr Francis Zammit Dimech thanked Mr Roberto Patruno, the new Director of REMPEC, and his colleagues for their invaluable assistance and contribution to the development of the National Marine Contingency Plan, and other assistance given in past years. This includes the assistance in designing a project for consideration under the MAP CAMP – Malta related to the development of environmental sensitivity maps and an associated geographical information system for spill response.

A copy of the database developed by REMPEC was presented to Minister Francis Zammit Dimech by Mr Roberto Patruno, Director of REMPEC.