Spills of oil get a predominance of press but experts at the International Maritime
Organization (IMO) realize the dangers from other cargoes carried on our oceans can be far worse. This week, delegates of IMO have gathered to finalize a program called International Co-operation on Preparedness
and Response to Pollution Incidents by Hazardous and Noxious Substances. This is quite a mouthful, so for now it is called the HNS Protocol.Hazardous and noxious substances (HNS) cover about 2300 sea-going
products with potential chemical and toxicological properties according to William O'Neil Secretary General at IMO. At today's opening session O'Neil pointed out that since 1990, IMO has resolved to set up
parameters to deal with HNS spills. The HNS Protocol has emerged using very similar regimes to its' older sister program – the Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Co-operation Convention or the OPRC
Convention.
O'Neil tell us the HNS Protocol intends to establish a global system for combating marine emergencies of hazardous and noxious substances. The goal is to foster regional and international
co-operation to prepare and respond to such dangers. The wide variety of HNS cargoes makes this a most daunting task indeed.
Delegates this week must finalize the legal terms of the HNS Protocol in a Diplomatic
Conference. Compared to other topics at IMO, the HNS Protocol is not particularly controversial. Thanks to previous agreements hammered out in the OPRC Convention and the working group, there are not many
key outstanding issues.
The United States stands out as one of the few member nations with problems in the HNS Protocol's terms. The U.S. delegation does not agree with the Protocol's definition of hazardous or
noxious substances. They are concerned the definition is too broad and could conflict with domestic U.S. legislation such as RCRA. The U.S. delegation also disagrees with other items in the HNS Protocol, in
particular certain provisions deciding how much equipment member nations should position at local response centers.
Disagreements aside, O'Neil noted a major challenge faced by the marine pollution community is to
enhance national and regional response capacities. This task will require technical expertise found in the industry sector. To be successful at this goal, "we must establish close co-operation between all of
the parties – industry, governments and IMO," he said.
