Since the early 1970s, experts have recognized that petroleum pollutants were being discharged in marine waters worldwide, from oil spills, vessel operations, and land-based sources. Public attention to oil spills has forced improvements. Still, a considerable amount of oil is discharged yearly into sensitive coastal environments. Oil in the Sea provides the best available estimate of oil pollutant discharge into marine waters, including an evaluation of the methods for assessing petroleum load and a discussion about the concerns these loads represent. Featuring close-up looks at the Exxon Valdez spill and other notable events, the book identifies important research questions and makes recommendations for better analysis ofâ€"and more effective measures againstâ€"pollutant discharge. The book discusses: Inputâ€"where the discharges come from, including the role of two-stroke engines used on recreational craft. Behavior or fateâ€"how oil is affected by processes such as evaporation as it moves through the marine environment. Effectsâ€"what we know about the effects of petroleum hydrocarbons on marine organisms and ecosystems. Providing a needed update on a problem of international importance, this book will be of interest to energy policy makers, industry officials and managers, engineers and researchers, and advocates for the marine environment.

Examines the safety problems of oil tankers which could threaten the ecology and quality of the oceans and coastal areas.

The passage of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA 90) by Congress and subsequent modifications of international maritime regulations resulted in a far-reaching change in the design of tank vessels. Double-hull rather than single-hull tankers are now the industry standard, and nearly all ships in the world maritime oil transportation fleet are expected to have double hulls by about 2020. This book assesses the impact of the double hull and related provisions of OPA 90 on ship safety, protection of the marine environment, and the economic viability and operational makeup of the maritime oil transportation industry. The influence of international conventions on tank vessel design and operation is addressed. Owners and operators of domestic and international tank vessel fleets, shipyard operators, marine architects, classification societies, environmentalists, and state and federal regulators will find this book useful.

Can we design an oil tanker that meets our complex demands for environmental protection, economical operation, and crew safety? This volume evaluates and ranks a wide variety of tank ship hull designs proposed by experts around the world. Based on extensive research and studies, the book explores the implications of our rising demand for petroleum and increase in tanker operations; U.S. government regulations and U.S. Coast Guard policies regarding designs for new tank vessel construction; how new ship design would affect crew safety, maintenance, inspection, and other technical issues; the prospects for retrofitting existing tankers to reduce the risk of oil spills; and more. The conclusions and recommendations will be particularly important to maritime safety regulators in the United States and abroad; naval architects; ship operators and engineers; and officials in the petroleum, shipping, and marine insurance industries.

The first volume in a new Springer Series on Shipping and Transport Logistics, Oil Transport Management provides a full historical account of the evolution of the oil transport industry since the 1800's. In this comprehensive guide, the authors investigate the industry and describe the shipping market and its structure, as well as forecasting, location plan and the transportation chain. They dedicate a separate chapter to each topic to cover various concepts, including: an introduction to the tanker shipping market, including how the freight, new vessel building, second hand and demolition markets influence one another, the economic structure and organization of the tanker industry in both the past and present, and forecasting the need for oil-based sea transportation. Further chapters present case studies and simulations to illustrate the importance of factory location decisions and the need for oil infrastructure investments. Chapter One also includes a regression equation to predict the fleet size in tanker shipping. Oil Transport Management is a key reference, which can be practically applied to wider global research and practices. Ideal for both industry practitioners, and researchers and students of shipping studies, Oil Transport Management provides a concise yet comprehensive coverage of the oil transport industry's history and a guide for its future development.

In this engaging book, Dr. Solly examines the history of crude oil tankers from early days when this vital commodity was carried aboard ordinary sailing vessels, through the innovative designs that resulted in significant breakthroughs leading to early single-hulled VLCCs, and the later stronger hence safer double-hulled vessel. The professional reader will identify with much of the author’s thinking, especially his handling of the enormous advances in shipboard techniques, and examination of excellent contributions made by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) from its conception in 1948, to its penetratingly effective work of today. Special attention is paid to their profound influence on the industry through MARPOL and SOLAS innovations, including arguably the greatest contribution made to tanker safety and environmental protection by Inert Gas Systems (IGS) and Crude Oil Washing (COW). Non-seagoing readers in allied shipping professions, and that huge army of ship enthusiasts, will learn a great deal about the ins-and-outs of an industry which, for the immediate future, underpins virtually every aspect of practical 21st Century living. Ray Solly’s authoritative story is lavishly supported by 211 images (many of which have never previously been published), plus accounts of two recent voyages aboard a Norwegian North sea shuttle tanker, and a product carrier. Both passenger trips not only updated his professional knowledge but provided penetrating insight into current maritime practices. Each confirmed his convincing observation that today’s crude oil carriers present the safest and most regulated form of transportation in the world.