WALVIS BAY – Growing offshore and gas exploration as well as increasing maritime traffic at Namibia’s ports prompted the Ministry of Works and Transport last Friday to launch coastal sensitivity maps for oil spills at Walvis Bay.
The maps are regarded as tactical and strategic elements that are an important component of the country’s oil spill preparedness and response system that is currently being reformed.
This is the second phase of the process that is aimed at making the system both responsive and modern.
Speaking during the launch of the maps, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Works and Transport, Peter Mwatile, said the coastal environment of Namibia that spans over four littoral regions is of high ecological and economic value.
He highlighted the Kunene River mouth, Skeleton Coast National Park, Torra Bay, Dorob National Park, Sandwich Harbour and the wetlands that are part of Walvis Bay and Lüderitz as some of the assets that are Namibia’s key economic portals.
“However, these socio-economic and biological resources face potential threats of oil pollution which may result from shipping and offshore activities in Namibian waters. Our territorial waters are major shipping routes for tankers and other ships visiting our port.
Pollution from ships and offshore installations can cause degration of water and sediment quality resulting in loss of biological diversity, human health and reduction of fish stocks,” he stated.
“Pollution may also negatively impact the normal function and natural aesthetics of our coastal infrastructure and amenities, thereby reducing the economic potential of such resources. It is against this background that government through our ministry developed and adopted the national oil spill contingency plan in 2007,” he further underlined.
He noted that the national framework for oil spill response is in line with the International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Cooperation.
He said the absence of coastal sensitivity maps for oil spill response was identified as a critical shortcoming in Namibia’s preparedness and response system. These maps play an important role in the overall oil spill risk management process and provides an easy understanding and graphical representation of information critical to oil spill planners and responders.
Also speaking at the launch the Minister of Works and Transport Erkki Nghimtina said the maps are not only a consolidation of the best available knowledge of the coastline and its economical and biological resources but also an exceptional example of collaboration between scientists, managers, among others.
He then urged all stakeholders involved in oil spill management to use the renewed strategic focus provided by the maps to strengthen oil spill preparedness and response mechanisms at ship/offshore, drilling platform, port, regional and national levels.