Management of marine oil spills: A case study of the Wakashio oil spill in Mauritius using a lens-actor-focus conceptual framework

Abstract

Small Island Developing States, or SIDS, astride major shipping lanes are particularly vulnerable to pollution incidents. The Wakashio spill of nearly 1,000 t of very low sulphur fuel oil in Mauritius in August 2020 impacted 125 km2 of waterfront and over 30 km of shoreline. Although the Mauritius spill was preceded by major spills in New Zealand and the Solomon Islands, marine oil pollution management in SIDS remains largely unexamined in scholarly studies to influence regulatory or policy response. This paper, therefore, attempts to study the oil pollution contingency planning, preparedness, coordination of response and compensation for pollution damages in SIDS using the Wakashio incident as a case study of international interest. A lens-actor-focus triad is developed as a conceptual framework and applied for the case study research in management of marine pollution. The study indicated that any substantive oil spill in SIDS could disproportionately impact livelihoods and economy and highlighted that the significant and comprehensive United Nations system-wide response to the marine oil pollution incident was unlike ever before. The paper discusses, among other aspects, implications for management of marine oil pollution in SIDS with reference to strategies for prevention and containment of pollution, and integration of external assistance and local community into contingency plans. The study suggests that the lens-actor-focus may be a useful framework for study of contingency management including marine pollution and argues that integrating provision of external assistance by UN agencies into national contingency plans merits urgent critical consideration by SIDS, and concerned UN agencies including the International Maritime Organisation. The study also suggests scope for a review of the liability and compensation regime in the context of implications for SIDS.