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Scandinavian Marine Pollution law manual
Marine PollutionBulletin suggestions for changes and improvements are invited and should be sent to the Patent Section Editor at either Pergamon Press, Inc. or Pergamon Press Ltd. at the addresses given at the end of the PATSEARCH section in this month's issue. R. B. C L A R K
North Sea Problems The pollution of the North Sea appears to be emerging once again as a major issue of international concern. A debate about the North Sea problem has been instigated by the countries most directly concerned, the Federal Republic of Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, but with a surprising lack of coordination at the European level. According to an analysis published in Environment in Europe at the end of last year, the starting point of the current debate was the North Sea Report of the German Council of Experts on the Environment, which was published in 1980. This research document summarizes the extent of knowledge about the North Sea and the pressures to which it is subject. It is not itself a policy document, but during the past eighteen months indications are that more needs to be done to protect the North Sea. Within the Federal Republic, key steps in this process were a debate in the Bundestag on the report of the Council of Experts, several questions and debates in the parliaments of LowerSaxony and Schleswig-Holstein (the Lander most directly affected) and a major written question with debate in the Bundestag about the protection of surface and coastal waters, initiated by the CDU/CSU opposition in April 1982. Among the issues which will need to be resolved are the effects of pollution from land-based sources, the future of dumping in the North Sea area (a practice which is under constant attack from several sides), the importance of airborne pollution to the North Sea, and special measures for the protection of coastal zones and for the Waddensea in particular. In early September of last year, the government of the Federal Republic of Germany announced that it would be inviting the states bordering the North Sea to a conference to discuss the situation. The announcement itself must be viewed as an implicit declaration of concern. Meanwhile, in the Netherlands, the government for the first time has taken a position on all aspects of North Sea management with a 'which' paper submitted to parliament on 13 May last year. The government announced numerous measures concerning the coordination of its North Sea policies, including a bill to extend territorial water from three to twelve miles, the establishment of a North Sea water quality plan as the basis for further action, urgent measures to improve the quality of coastal bathing waters and a study of pollution from atmospheric sources. This 'which' paper was to be debated in early 1983 and a number of official 78
Dr S. H. Jenkins We very much regret to announce the death of Dr S. H. Jenkins on 21 January 1983. He was a member of the Editorial Board of the Marine Pollution Bulletin from the time of its reorganization in 1976.
advisory bodies have already announced their intention to react, whether or not they are asked to do so by the government. In June 1981, the Liberal and Democratic Group introduced a draft resolution on the North Sea in the European Parliament. The Resolution reflects several of the issues which have been under discussion in the Federal Republic of Germany and the Netherlands. It is currently being considered by the parliamentary environmental committee and its report should be available for debate in the first half of this year. It should provide the opportunity to focus the debate at a European level.
Safety Surveillance System for Ethylene Plant The Cheadle Heath Division of Ferranti Computer Systems Ltd has won an order from the Lummus Company Ltd for the supply of two Safety Surveillance Systems, designed by Lummus, to be installed at the Essochem Olefins Inc. Fife ethylene plant. One system is to be located at the facility's Mossmorran ethane cracker and the other is destined for the marine terminal at Braefoot Bay. The systems will provide Essochem's Fife facility with the most sophisticated and advanced fire and gas and plant surveillance equipment available and will be in place for commissioning of the plant in 1985.
Scandinavian Marine Pollution Law Manual Assuranceforeningen Skuld, a Scandinavian insurance association, has published a 161-page manual Marine Pollution, covering international marine pollution laws and liability compensation schemes. The manual includes discussions of the following topics: (1) the provisions of the International Maritime Organization conventions concerning operational and accidental oil pollution from tankers; (2) tanker spill liability compensation schemes such as the Tanker Owners Voluntary Agreement Concerning Liability for Oil Pollution, and the International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage, 1969; and (3) the roles of various international organizations in oil pollution prevention, contingency planning, spill response and damage compensation. The manual also provides a directory of the pollution-related laws, prohibited discharges, pollution fines and liability limits in over 50 nations and territories worldwide. The manual is available from: Michael Thorp, Assuranceforeningen Skuld, P.O. Box 1376 Vika, Oslo 1, Norway; Tel: 02-420640.
North Sea Problems The pollution of the North Sea appears to be emerging once again as a major issue of international concern. A debate about the North Sea problem has been instigated by the countries most directly concerned, the Federal Republic of Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, but with a surprising lack of coordination at the European level. According to an analysis published in Environment in Europe at the end of last year, the starting point of the current debate was the North Sea Report of the German Council of Experts on the Environment, which was published in 1980. This research document summarizes the extent of knowledge about the North Sea and the pressures to which it is subject. It is not itself a policy document, but during the past eighteen months indications are that more needs to be done to protect the North Sea. Within the Federal Republic, key steps in this process were a debate in the Bundestag on the report of the Council of Experts, several questions and debates in the parliaments of LowerSaxony and Schleswig-Holstein (the Lander most directly affected) and a major written question with debate in the Bundestag about the protection of surface and coastal waters, initiated by the CDU/CSU opposition in April 1982. Among the issues which will need to be resolved are the effects of pollution from land-based sources, the future of dumping in the North Sea area (a practice which is under constant attack from several sides), the importance of airborne pollution to the North Sea, and special measures for the protection of coastal zones and for the Waddensea in particular. In early September of last year, the government of the Federal Republic of Germany announced that it would be inviting the states bordering the North Sea to a conference to discuss the situation. The announcement itself must be viewed as an implicit declaration of concern. Meanwhile, in the Netherlands, the government for the first time has taken a position on all aspects of North Sea management with a 'which' paper submitted to parliament on 13 May last year. The government announced numerous measures concerning the coordination of its North Sea policies, including a bill to extend territorial water from three to twelve miles, the establishment of a North Sea water quality plan as the basis for further action, urgent measures to improve the quality of coastal bathing waters and a study of pollution from atmospheric sources. This 'which' paper was to be debated in early 1983 and a number of official 78
Dr S. H. Jenkins We very much regret to announce the death of Dr S. H. Jenkins on 21 January 1983. He was a member of the Editorial Board of the Marine Pollution Bulletin from the time of its reorganization in 1976.
advisory bodies have already announced their intention to react, whether or not they are asked to do so by the government. In June 1981, the Liberal and Democratic Group introduced a draft resolution on the North Sea in the European Parliament. The Resolution reflects several of the issues which have been under discussion in the Federal Republic of Germany and the Netherlands. It is currently being considered by the parliamentary environmental committee and its report should be available for debate in the first half of this year. It should provide the opportunity to focus the debate at a European level.
Safety Surveillance System for Ethylene Plant The Cheadle Heath Division of Ferranti Computer Systems Ltd has won an order from the Lummus Company Ltd for the supply of two Safety Surveillance Systems, designed by Lummus, to be installed at the Essochem Olefins Inc. Fife ethylene plant. One system is to be located at the facility's Mossmorran ethane cracker and the other is destined for the marine terminal at Braefoot Bay. The systems will provide Essochem's Fife facility with the most sophisticated and advanced fire and gas and plant surveillance equipment available and will be in place for commissioning of the plant in 1985.
Scandinavian Marine Pollution Law Manual Assuranceforeningen Skuld, a Scandinavian insurance association, has published a 161-page manual Marine Pollution, covering international marine pollution laws and liability compensation schemes. The manual includes discussions of the following topics: (1) the provisions of the International Maritime Organization conventions concerning operational and accidental oil pollution from tankers; (2) tanker spill liability compensation schemes such as the Tanker Owners Voluntary Agreement Concerning Liability for Oil Pollution, and the International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage, 1969; and (3) the roles of various international organizations in oil pollution prevention, contingency planning, spill response and damage compensation. The manual also provides a directory of the pollution-related laws, prohibited discharges, pollution fines and liability limits in over 50 nations and territories worldwide. The manual is available from: Michael Thorp, Assuranceforeningen Skuld, P.O. Box 1376 Vika, Oslo 1, Norway; Tel: 02-420640.