Al Ain to host meet on oil pollution

AL AIN - Accidents involving oil tankers and offshore installations account for around 10 per cent of the annual total amount of oil entering the marine environment, according to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

By Sadiq A. Salam

Published: Sat 27 Sep 2003, 12:13 PM

Last updated: Wed 1 Apr 2015, 11:50 PM

The oil tankers, it said, carry close to 40 per cent of the world's sea-borne trade. This was in addition to 57 per cent of the oil consumed in the world throughout the year in 2001. The oil transported by sea is approximately 2,000 million tonnes.

Since the Gulf region is considered to be the world's greatest oil reservoir and it has been always subjected to the hazards of oil leaks, the Faculty of Science in collaboration with the Faculty of Engineering, UAE University, is organising a conference on oil pollution and its environmental impact in the Gulf Region from October 5 to 7, said Professor Joseph Hill, Dean of the faculty.

"This conference Is part of our continuous efforts to provide the educational and research output needed to support the vigorous sustainable development in the UAE, spearheaded by the President, His Highness Shaikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan," he added.

More than 40 scientists and experts from the US, Canada, Europe, Japan, South Korea, Malta, India and Arab countries will be attending the three-day conference, he added.

The organising committee has also extended invitation to several distinguished scientists in the field of oil pollution in the US, the European Union and Southeast Asia to give keynote speeches on recent developments associated with different aspects of oil pollution.

"They will present papers that deal with various topics like the characterisation of oil spills besides combating, prevention and treatment of oil pollution," he added.

The conference, organised under the patronage of Shaikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research and Chancellor of UAE University, will also tackle "utilisation of remote sensing and other analytical methods in monitoring oil spills and pollutants," he added.

This is in addition to discussions on "the impacts of oil pollution on marine organisms and environmental responses to oil pollution effects and possible rehabilitation," Prof. Hill added.