9TH March 2012

GROWING PETROCHEMICAL BUSINESS IN THE BAY AND STILL NO
TRIPARTITE PROCESS

ESG is most concerned with news of a massive fuel farm setting up in Algeciras, as confirmed in the Spanish and local media this week. Vopak Terminal has set up a total of 22 tanks with over 4million ton capacity in a bid to “compete” with Gibraltar for bunkering business. This new industry comes at a time when cross border co-operation under the Tripartite Process is at an all time low.

In 2009, during the 3rd Ministerial meeting of the Trilateral Forum, a communiqué was issued citing the need for greater co-operation at cross border level on matters of environmental protection. This protection was intended to address: “pollution from maritime activity and traffic, bunkering operations, industrial emissions and water discharges, waste disposal and land reclamations, among others. This co-operation was intended to take the form of liaisons, establishment of contact points and urgent means of communication, rehearsed co-operation in co-ordinated incident response, and other means. (see 2nd para, Pt 6 Communique 21.07.09). No such co-operation exists today at a formal level, yet heavy industry continues to grow increasing risk to people and the environment.

The Vopak fuel depot carries a significant environmental and safety risk, and such a project demands detailed transfer of information at a cross border level – This relates to Environmental Impact Assessments as well as response preparedness in the event of accidents.

The ESG asks whether the Gibraltar Government has been presented with an Environmental Impact Assessment for this fuel farm and if not that it should demand this information from the Algeciras Authorities, if not directly, then via the European Commission.

The ESG hopes that the Tripartite framework set up to address critical issues affecting Bay citizens and environment can be taken forward to safeguard our future against the ever increasing and unsustainable petrochemical industry.