Environmental Management System for the Analysis of Oil Spill Risk Using Probabilistic Simulations. Application at Tarragona Monobuoy

Mariano Morell Villalonga,Manel Grifoll Colls,Manuel Espino Infantes,Marc Mestres Ridge

doi:10.3390/jmse8040277

Mariano Morell Villalonga, Manel Grifoll Colls + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse8040277

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Abstract

Oil spill accidents during port operations are one of the main hydrocarbon pollution threats for coastal waters. Appropriate environmental risk assessment and pollution events management tools are needed to achieve sustainability and environmental protection in port activity. Recent developments in monitoring techniques and accurate meteo-oceanographic prediction systems have been implemented in many ports, providing tools for environmental management. A novel method based on meteo-oceanographic operational services, in conjunction with Monte Carlo experiments using an oil spill model, is implemented to perform probabilistic maps of potential pollution events. Tarragona port area was chosen as the study case for three reasons: it accommodates a hub of petrochemical industry, the availability of high-resolution wind and water current data, and previous studies at the area offer the possibility to check the results’ accuracy. The interpretation of the impact probability maps reveals a specific pattern explained by the mean hydrodynamic conditions and the energetic north-westerly wind conditions. The impact probability maps may enhance efficiency in the environmental management of port waters and nearby coastal areas, reducing the negative impact of pollutant discharges.

Highlights

The environmental pollution caused by port operational accidents has received increasing attention in the last decades, due to an increased environmental sensibility and shift towards blue growth economy concepts
This Directive adds to the Water Framework Directive, which takes into consideration coastal waters, setting a general scope on marine waters
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Summary

Introduction

The environmental pollution caused by port operational accidents has received increasing attention in the last decades, due to an increased environmental sensibility and shift towards blue growth economy concepts. The Directive works on an ecosystem-based approach in the regulation and management of the marine environment, marine natural resources, and marine ecological services [2]. This approach requires the public administration and the private port operators to consider the potential effects of port activities on the marine environment in order to plan and manage port activity. This Directive adds to the Water Framework Directive, which takes into consideration coastal waters, setting a general scope on marine waters

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