Abstract
It is no longer news that marine pollution is disastrous to mankind, ranging from impairment of surface water quality, disruption of aquatic growth, and reduction of amenities, affecting the health of man, etc. Existing studies indicate that marine pollution control in the ports of developing economies is marred by a lack of administrative control and inadequate provision of waste reception facilities in Nigeria ports. The United Nations Conventions on the Law of the Sea 1982 (UNCLOS) and the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from ships 1973 (MARPOL); amended by the 1978 protocol (73/78) are the main international instruments used as standards for the regulation of marine pollution from ship generated waste. Based on this, investigations have been made on Nigerian waterways in finding solution to these problems. The samples were collected from randomly selected ships at berths in seaport locations. The outputs from the analysis are then integrated as inputs into an administrative framework model. The integrated model developed is proposed as an alternative administrative tool for monitoring and controlling pollution in seaports.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
- Background of the study
The incidence of ship generated marine pollution has increasingly engaged the attention of the international maritime community in their effort to promote safe shipping and the protection of the marine environment. The growing concern about pollution centres on the potential for the shipping business to negatively impact the marine environment and the related biodiversity within the maritime field (Helen, S Et al 2016). One of the most significant environmental problems in the world today is pollution generated from and on board ships. The use of oceans as a medium for transportation, trading routes, military activities and tourism is known to be increasing each year and most waste products generated by ships cannot be discharged directly to the ocean. Shipping fleets are being developed all over the world and the waste generated from these ships generated has serious impacts on the marine environment. According to the IMO manual on port reception facilities (2019), a port reception facility is any arrangement made at port to receive shipboard remains and mixtures, which contain oil, noxious liquids, sewage, garbage or as listed in MARPOL. Furthermore, PRF is a provision for the collection of ship residues, garbage’s and oily mixtures from sea going vessels by international ports as contaminant generated onboard vessels on international voyages cannot be discharged into the sea directly to avoid marine pollution. The type and sizes of the facility is determined by the needs and numbers of ships calling at a port. These needs could be barrels for sludge’s, bins for garbage’s, storage tanks for oil mixtures and residues containing noxious liquids (MEPC, 2014). These reception facilities can also be referred to as any floating or fixed facility that has the capacity to receive ship waste and MARPOL residue and it should be fit for that purpose (MEPC, 2018). On a similar note Wess (2013), described maritime safety the process of implementing international and nationally agreed rules to minimize the risks to people, property and the environment. Safety and risk have an overlay relationship which can be perceived as an inseparable thin layer that allows evaluation of levels of protection from hazards and degree of freedom from danger. The alarming rate of the environmental consequence of shipping necessitates the need for policy subjected to reduction and possibility of absolute eradication of the negative impact of shipping on the environment. According to Abowei, Akaso, and Bariweni (2011), negative externalities have a lot of relevance over the environmental issue which is assumed by the whole society, these policies are subject to reviews, evaluation and amendment as the situation arises, thereby preventing and regulating the negative externalities of shipping on the environment, through increased safety towards achieving sustainable maritime transport. The nonchalant attitude of ship-owners towards the issue of the environment remains a challenge, ship-owners prefers to compromise safety in whatever means to satisfy their profitable goals. For instance, a ship-owner may ignore the use of reception facilities and proceed with illegal discharge of ballast, in the waterways. Carpenter (2005) posits that some developing countries lack the provision of adequate waste handling facilities, monitoring and control mechanism in their ports. It has been pointed out amidst other issues that adequacy of reception facilities and forceful control mechanisms are insufficient in majority of the countries' ports. Marine pollution remains a major problem in the Nigerian environment. Shipping and seaport activities as a factor of urbanization and industrialization have contributed to the scale of pollution. In the first section and fourth subsection of the 1982 United Nations Convention Article on the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS), the definition of pollution in the marine environment is the introduction or deposit of substances by man, directly or indirectly into the marine environment which is likely to result in negative effects on living resources and hazardous to human health (Onwuegbuchunam et al., 2017). Direct pollution from vessel discharges and upland maritime support operations introduce toxins, nutrients, bacteria, pathogens, pharmaceuticals, and plastics into waterways, vessel support operations, and port operations also, directly and indirectly, pollute waterways through a variety of sources such as greywater, bilge water, black water (sewage), and ballast water, antifouling paints (and their leachates), hazardous materials, garbage and other wastes, Arial deposition to aquatic habitats of stack emissions (Daniel et al.,2016). According to Ball (2019), reducing marine pollution will require cost-effective ways for ships to unload their waste efficiently. The issue of providing port reception facilities is the responsibility of the Port State (Nguyen, 2017). A ship keeps generating wastes while operating at sea. Oily wastes (sludge) and slop generate mainly from purifying bunker fuel, treatment of bilge water and from cargo residues of a cargo tank. Slops and sludge thus generated are stored in their respective tanks.
- STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Lack of adequate waste reception facilities in developing countries’ ports is such that vessels have no choice but to discharge waste at sea (Anstey, F. Ballast 2017). However, some vessel operators prefer to dump waste at sea, where there is a low risk of being caught, rather than use the provided facilities and thus pay the required user fees. In West and Central African ports, facilities are becoming available in varying forms but remain inadequate hence ship waste collection processes in the ports are not only inefficient but also their management remains poor, (Barns-Dabban, H.; Koppen, K.V.; Mol, 2017). In Nigeria for example, the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA)—custodian of national ports does not own or operate waste reception facilities but outsources that responsibility to a private pollution control company. In the words of the port authority’s managing director, Mohammed (Mohammed, A.S 2019), the private pollution control company is to provide port reception facilities in all four navigational districts of Lagos, Port Harcourt, Warri and Calabar. The project is self-financing and contract tenure is 20 years beginning from the year 2006 (Mohammed, A.S 2019). In addition, this company is given the responsibility of monitoring waste discharge from vessels visiting the ports and reporting back to the authority. In this circumstance, no independent organization is put in place to audit the activities of pollution control contractors.
- OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The study has one main objective which is sub-divided into general and specific objective; the general objective focused on the appraisal of reception facilities on the control on pollution on Nigeria water. The specific objectives are;
- To examine effectiveness of reception facilities on the control of pollution in Nigeria waters
- To ascertain if there is any significant relationship between reception facilities and pollution control
- To identify the difficulties faced by the ports in Nigeria in the management of ship generated waste and cargo residues
- To proffer suggested solution to the identified problem
- RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The following research questions were formulated by the researcher to aid the completion of the study;
- Is reception facilities an effective tools in pollution control in Nigeria water ways?
- Is there any significant relationship between reception facilities and pollution control?
- Is there any difficulties faced by the ports in Nigeria in the management of ship generated waste and cargo residues?
- RESEARCH HYPOTHESES
The following research hypotheses were formulated by the researcher to aid the completion of the study;
H0: reception facilities does not have any effective tools in pollution control in Nigeria water ways
H1: reception facilities does an effective tools in pollution control in Nigeria water ways
H0: There is no significant relationship between reception facilities and pollution control
H2: There is a significant relationship between reception facilities and pollution control
- SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This research is expected to make practical and theoretical contributions to the existing framework of the port of Tin Can port reception facility and help provide the basis for further understanding of the port of Tin Can’s ability, both now and in the future. More so, to collect, process, store and dispose of ship generated waste in adherence to the standards of the International Maritime Organization (IMO). Recommendations for improvement will be made regarding the collection, processing, storage and disposal processes of waste management to ensure the port of Tin Can remain in line with international best practices. The research will critically examine the operational and technical process of waste disposal with particular regard to the health and safety of the people and the environment. Furthermore, the research aim is to anticipate the amount of ship generated waste in the port due to the anticipated increase of vessels calling the port of Tin Can.
1.7 SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
The scope of the study covers an appraisal of reception facilities on the control of pollution on Nigeria waters. But in the course of the study, there are some factors that limit the scope of the study;
AVAILABILITY OF RESEARCH MATERIAL: The research material available to the researcher is insufficient, thereby limiting the study
TIME: The time frame allocated to the study does not enhance wider coverage as the researcher has to combine other academic activities and examinations with the study.
FINANCE: The finance available for the research work does not allow for wider coverage as resources are very limited as the researcher has other academic bills to cover.
- OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS
Reception facility
Port reception facilities are a place that international shipping ports must provide to collect residues, oily mixtures, and garbage generated from an ocean-going vessel. Contaminants generated by ships cannot be discharged directly to the ocean.
Pollution
Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into the natural environment that cause adverse change. Pollution can take the form of any substance or energy.
Pollution control
Pollution control is the process of reducing or eliminating the release of pollutants into the environment. It is regulated by various environmental agencies which establish pollutant discharge limits for air, water, and land.
1.9 ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY
This research work is organized in five chapters, for easy understanding, as follows
Chapter one is concern with the introduction, which consist of the (overview, of the study), statement of problem, objectives of the study, research question, significance or the study, research methodology, definition of terms and historical background of the study. Chapter two highlight the theoretical framework on which the study its based, thus the review of related literature. Chapter three deals on the research design and methodology adopted in the study. Chapter four concentrate on the data collection and analysis and presentation of finding. Chapter five gives summary, conclusion, and recommendations made of the study.
