Sea transportation of hazardous goods is a lucrative business. But in order to make profits, necessary safety expenditures need to be in place otherwise profits would be as far away as the horizon

The oil and gas sector has always been a big payer for the Middle East transport (sea/air/road) industry. The number of transport vehicles and ships catering for this sector are increasing on a regular basis. However, for those wishing to indulge in this thriving industry, it is important to remember that the million dollar contracts come with a hefty responsibility to ensure maximum safety standards in the transportation of hazardous cargo.

Hence, it is imperative for those involved in international transportation (including shipping) of such cargo to ensure their procedures meet with international regulations. The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) provides a series of guidelines on tanker safety and the prevention of accidental pollution.

Fortunately, awareness of such issues in the region’s sea freight industry appears to be running high with many ship owners and operators actively looking to improve the quality of service, safety and environmental protection standards.

For example, the Emirates National Oil Company (ENOC) hosted its first Marine Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) conference in Dubai last year – aiming to share best practice and quality assurance. ENOC is just one of many oil companies keen to unite with the sea and road freight industry to ensure that it is operating in a safe and environmentally sustainable way. At the conference, Yusr Sultan, Chief Executive Officer of the company’s terminals, shipping and LPG division, told delegates, “ENOC believes marine EHS performance is a partnership between the various parts of the supply chain.”

At the end of the day, accidents do happen and will continue to happen during the transportation of hazardous goods. However, with the correct safety measures in place, the likelihood of this can be nearly eliminated.

All that is required is a major commitment from companies dealing with the land and sea transport of dangerous goods – and the region itself certainly appears to be upping its game to achieve this.

Alex Borg, MCIPS (Stam) MIM MILT UK, is a trainer and consultant in logistics and supply chain management. He is also the Executive Director and Co-ordinator of CILT – UAE Council in Dubai (www.ciltinternational.com).