Environmental regulation of ship-to-ship bunkering operations

Abstract

Whilst being at the centre of the Mediterranean Sea grants Malta the possibility to excel in the bunkering industry, it also poses it to a number of environmental threats. The scope of this thesis is to examine from a legal perspective ship-to-ship bunkering operations and oil pollution incidents occurring during the said operations and their effects on the marine environment. Following an analysis of the complex nature of ship-to-ship bunkering operations, the thesis studies and criticises the international and local legal instruments regulating the said operations. After this detailed examination of the said legal instruments, the thesis continues to critically examine the regulation of the response procedures to be undertaken when oil pollution incidents occur during ship-to-ship bunkering operations and any environmental consequences thereof. The thesis concludes with a number of proposals relating to the environmental regulation of ship-to-ship bunkering operations, some of which requiring legal amendment, implementation or enforcement and others requiring amendment, implementation or enforcement at administrative level.