News: The state government has launched safety and cleanup operations after a cargo ship, MSC ELSA 3, sank off the coast near Thottappally in the Alappuzha district of Kerala.
About oil spills
- An oil spill is the release of a liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into the environment—especially the marine ecosystem—due to human activities and it is considered a form of pollution.
Consequences of oil spills
- When oil spills into water, it rapidly spreads. Due to its lighter density, it forms a layer over water, obstructing sunlight and disrupting photosynthesis in marine plants and phytoplankton – organisms crucial for oxygen production.
International Measures to control oil spills
- International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL)
- It evolved from several older agreements and led to a protocol issued in 1978 following several oil spill disasters in the 1970s.
- India is also a signatory.
- It has six annexes, covering prevention of pollution from ships by – Oil, Noxious liquid substances, Dangerous goods in packaged form, Sewage, Garbage and Air pollution from ships.
- International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Co-operation (OPRC), 1990
- Purpose: Provides a global framework for international cooperation in preparing for and responding to major marine oil pollution incidents.
National measures to control oil spills
- Merchant Shipping Act: The MARPOL Convention is enforced with the help of domestic legislation, such as the Merchant Shipping Act in India, which has provisions on civil liability and pollution prevention certificates.
- National Oil Spill Disaster Contingency Plan (NOS-DCP): The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) is responsible for maintaining and implementing the Plan. It was promulgated in 1996 and revised in 2015.
Key technologies on Oil Spills
- Detection and monitoring: Like being done by the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), under the Ministry of Earth Sciences in India in the above case.
- Skimming: It involves removing oil from the sea surface before it can reach sensitive areas along the coastline.
- In situ burning means burning a particular patch of oil after it has concentrated in an area.
- Use of chemical dispersants: Releasing chemical dispersants helps break down oil into smaller droplets, making it easier for microbes to consume and further break it down into less harmful compounds.
- Bioremediation: Use of naturally occurring or genetically engineered microbes to degrade oil, often enhanced by nutrients or surfactants.
