Managing the environmental impacts of shipping : the experience of a small island state : Malta

Abstract

The Mediterranean Sea is known as one of the crucial sea lanes for the transportation of goods. The Maltese Islands are at a greater risk of oil pollution than other EU countries as they are very near to the major oil transportation route of the Mediterranean Sea. Hence, this dissertation focuses on the need to have good legislations in place, and better enforcement of the National Marine Pollution Contingency Plan (NMPCP) so that the country will be well prepared for any emergencies which might occur within or near its territorial waters. The research approach adopted in this study includes a statistical analysis of the results achieved from secondary data, and a questionnaire which was distributed to a number of stakeholders. The findings from this research provide evidence that although Malta has the NMPCP in place, there are various issues that needs to be addressed so that Malta will be fully prepared in the eventuality of a pollution related incident. The main conclusions drawn from this study are that due to fragmentation of responsibilities involved in this operation, there is lack of enforcement from the competent authority and absence of participation from some entities. This dissertation recommends that a legal notice should be implemented to ensure commitment from all the key players in charge.