Sunny Isles

Section 1

The Republic of Sunny Isles has recently been devastated by a Category 5 Hurricane. The
country suffered severe infrastructural damage along with serious erosion along its
coastlines. The Government of the Republic of Sunny Isles (GRSI) has recognised the need to
adequately address management of its marine and coastal environment taking into account the
impacts of climate change.

They also acknowledge that the current marine and maritime governance framework is
inadequate and needs considerable improvement.
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Coastal erosion (or shoreline retreat) is the loss of coastal lands due to the net removal of
sediments or bedrock from the shoreline. Erosion is typically driven by the action of waves and
currents, and by mass wasting processes on slopes, and subsidence particularly on muddy coasts
Jalim, R. (2015)

The Government of the Republic of Sunny Isles problems stemmed from coastal erosion storms
and rising sea levels causing severe infrastructure damage. There are some proven techniques to
effectively manage shoreline erosion, these include: Shoreline hardening, Beach replenishment
and coastal retreat. Jalim, R. (2015

CDM Policy Framework

This Comprehensive Disaster Management Policy Framework (CDMPF) embraces
unequivocally the new internationally favoured approach. Accordingly, Trinidad and Tobago's
has adopted a comprehensive strategy which addresses all aspects of disaster management, with
a focus on risk management, through response, recovery and rehabilitation. (CDEMA, 2014).
This Policy framework can be adapted by GRSI that will reform and guide the implementation of
managing effective marine governance.
Disaster Measures Act,
Chap. 16:50, Act 47 of 1978

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Section 2
GRSI has commissioned your services for advice on the appropriate legal and
institutional reform and compliance required to effectively manage the protection and
preservation of its marine environment.
Contracted to advise GRSI of the appropriate legal and institutional compliance, Bailet, F. (2002)
stated that ocean governance is the integrated conduct of the policy, actions, and affairs
regarding the world's oceans to protect the ocean environment, sustainable use of coastal and
marine resources as well as to conserve of its biodiversity. The concept of ocean governance is
comprised of three components, namely: Legal, Institutional and Implementation

Legally; this framework then takes the form of binding instruments such as conventions at those
different levels, which make provisions for the management process.eg (MARPOL, SOLAS and
STCW)

Institutionally: this framework represents the governmental mechanisms required to manage

the ocean by developing institutions for effective governance

Section 3

While GRSI is a contracting party to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the
Sea and has ratified key conventions that affect management of the vessel source and
land based pollution many of these conventions remain unimplemented.

Provide information on the areas of UNCLOS that have not been implemented that
will affect management of vessel source and land based pollution

Implementation: Fundamentally, it is the level of the people at this level, in many parts of the
world; one can observe the emergence and formalization of a governance approach which is
often grafted on very ancient traditions
Section 4
GRSI was a former oil and gas leader in the Caribbean region but has been
experiencing a contracting economy for the last 2 years. Given the international
downturn in oil and gas, GRSI has facilitated cold stacking of rigs and drilling ships in its
calm and sheltered harbours.

 Risk associated with stacking

 Institutional and legal framework needed for compliance to stacking as
mentioned above.
Since the market downturn in mid-2014, stacking of rigs has become a strategy commonly
employed by service providers to save money, helping weather the storm that is low-cost oil.

Costs and Risks

In considerations for whether to cold stack equipment are quite clear GRSI can either cold stack
saving on operational costs while taking on future risk, or they can warm-stack, choosing to
spend cash to mitigate these operational risks.

With the high level of technical complexity associated with offshore drilling rigs, it is not
entirely clear what will happen when equipment is turned back on following an extended shut-
down. There are ways to mitigate these operational risks by intelligently cold stacking, but
proper planning and preparation can only mitigate a portion of the risk

Case Study

French offshore ship owner Bourbon Offshore has revealed a whopping number of more
than a hundred of its offshore vessels stacked at the end of 2016.

The vessel owner, with a fleet of over 500 offshore vessels, said that it has maintained an “active
stacking policy” to maximize the utilization rate and revenue of vessels in operation. So, as of
December 31, 2016, the company had 104 vessels stacked and that’s not including crew vessels.
The rise in oil prices and production limitation agreements are expected to have a favourable
effect on oil companies’ investments. However, the anticipated effect on offshore activity will be
delayed in time, as new investments recovered initially in onshore operations”

.Source: https://www.offshoreenergytoday.com
#5

Major regional ports and mariners are located on the western coast of GRSI. The West
coast is home to several industries including Hotels, Fishing, Dry docking, Oil
Refineries, Gas Processing, LNG, Methanol and Ammonia plants. Most residents of this
State also live on the West Coast. After heavy rainfall, the harbours are littered with
floating plastics and Styrofoam which pose considerable threat to marine life and other
users of the marine areas.

1. GRSI located in the West

2. Both commercial and private accommodations facilitated in the area
3. Threat to marine life and other users by pollution by plastic and Styrofoam.

Required

 MARPOL legislation for pollution by plastic and Styrofoam

o Is the policy implemented?
o Consequences for non compliance

"The capacity of the sea to assimilate wastes and render them harmless and its ability to
regenerate natural resources are not unlimited." - United Nations Conference on the Human
Environment, Stockholm, 1972.
Annex V of MARPOL is the primary international regime regulating at-sea disposal of ship-
generated waste. Annex V prohibits ship disposal of plastics into marine waters and imposes
strict requirements for the disposal of other garbage.
Environmental Management Agency Act defines pollution as any disturbance in the conditions
of the natural environment likely to be harmful to humans and the environment. The Environ-
mental Management Act Chap 35:05 (EMA) aims to protect the environment and regulate its
use, conservation and management.
#6
The Port Authority of GRSI (PAGRSI) needs to undertake infrastructural works to
facilitate bigger vessels and cruise ships as the country aims to diversify the economy
by becoming a maritime hub and cruising ship destination. PAGRSI has to undertake
dredging and expansion that will impact a wetland of international importance which is
also which is also the habitat for the country’s national bird. In addition to dredging the
Port is also required to expand its operations to accommodate increasing demand for
warehousing and container stacking. This expansion will affect a Dry Dock and ship
repair facility located to the east of the Port. Other affected parties include squatters,
landing ground for artisanal fishers and illegal parking lots. Wetlands are also present
in some areas of the land.

1. Infrastructural works needed to facilitate bigger vessels, warehousing and

container stacking
2. Aims to diversify by becoming a maritime hub and cruising ship destination
3. Impact to wetland that is the habitat for the national bird
4. Parties affected - Dry dock & ship repair facility, squatter etc
Required

 Laws regarding
o Expansion
o Threats to the ecosystem
o Compensation for affected persons and requirements needed from
them for authorization to commence works

#7
GRSI’s Ministry of Trade has allowed a major transhipment operator to set up
operations approximately 20 nautical miles off its coast. The transhipment company
has set up cranes on a platform and these assets facilitate the transfer iron ore and coal
from smaller ships to Cape size carriers. Environmentalists are concerned that this
activity will have a significant cumulative impact on the environment due to routine
minor spills from the operation.

1. MOT allowed transshipment to set up operations approximately 20 nautical

miles off the coast
2. Use of cranes on platforms
3. Transfer of iron ore and coal from smaller ships to cape size carriers
4. Environmentalists concerned about the impact on the environment due to
routine minor spills.
Required
 MARPOL requirements for these transactions
 Possible impacts on the environment

#8
In recent months, GRSI has had to deal with repeated oil spills from ageing
infrastructure on its oil refineries and possibly even from the cold stacked vessels off its
coast. There are also several vessels that have been abandoned off the west coast that
the Maritime Administration of GRSI has found it difficult to manage.

5. MOT allowed transshipment to set up operations approximately 20 nautical

miles off the coast
6. Use of cranes on platforms
7. Transfer of iron ore and coal from smaller ships to cape size carriers
8. Environmentalists concerned about the impact on the environment due to
routine minor spills.
Required
 MARPOL requirements for these transactions
 Possible impacts on the environment

#9
Approximately 100 nautical miles off GRSI’s coast, the MV Cole, a double hulled oil
tanker, has begun experiencing problems. The Captain believes that the hull of the
vessel may be compromised. The calm waters off the western coast of GRSI, the
PAGRSI and the local ship repair facilities would offer the Captain and his vessel a
good place for refuge. The Captain has contacted the PAGRSI, but the port has
refused to allow the vessel into its port.

1. Repeated oil spills from ageing infrastructure

2. Abandoned vessels
Required
 Regulations for vessel disposal
 Upkeep of infrastructure (operating standards, fines etc)

1. Vessel experiencing problems refused accommodation onto the port.

Required
 Outline the issues that can occur due to the vehicle staying unrepaired.
 Guidelines under Port State Control for vessels wanting to dock

Instructions:

1. Advise GRSI of the legal and institutional reforms that ought to be undertaken and
implemented to enable effective marine and maritime governance. Justify your
submissions with reference and analysis of relevant case studies.

(Students may use the legal and institutional framework of Trinidad and Tobago or any
other SIDS as a legal baseline for GRSI).

2. Your assignment should not exceed 5000 words and must be uploaded via Canvas
by December 6th

3. All work must be submitted in the following format:

1. New Times Roman (font size : 12)
2. Spacing :1.5
 3. Justified

4. All materials used must be properly referenced in compliance with the APA
Reference Style.

5. Please state final word count.

Reference

Jalim, R. (2015). Sinking into Paradise: Climate Change Worsening Coastal Erosion in Trinidad.