Heavy Fuel in the Arctic Report - Phase III(a)
Subject
Abstract
Summary:
The Phase III(a) report examines shipping incidents involving releases of HFO and other fuels in the Arctic and near-Arctic marine environment. The first section of the report provides a general overview and description of the characteristics of HFO. The second section identifies shipping incidents in the region involving HFO and other oil releases and any resulting reported liability. This information is captured in a separate annex of shipping incidents and sources. The third and final section of the Phase III(a) report examines the effect of HFO releases on the marine environment.
Findings:
The appendix accompanying this report captures shipping incidents between 1970 and 2014 identified in publicly available sources that involved a release or spill from a vessel of oil and any resulting liability from such release. 13 incidents of HFO release were identified while other non-HFO incidents were also captured. The majority of these incidents occurred in near-Arctic waters, which for purposes of this report encompass those waters north of latitude 55° N.
Although the effect of HFO releases on the Arctic marine environment requires more study, the Phase III(a) identifies three key factors that influence the consequence of an oil or analogous HFO discharge into the marine environment: i) the properties of the HFO; ii) the characteristics of the Arctic ecosystem and its inhabitants, and; iii) the nature of the clean-up or remediation process. While the first two aspects are addressed, the third remains outside the scope of this report.