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Oil traneport in the region
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Alrnost 99% of the foreign trade in Latin America is carried out by sea, and [his is
particularly true in the South-East Pacific. On a world scale, oil transport represents 55% of
the total seaborne lrade. In Latin America, the proportion is 45%. Oil lransport in the region
depends m foreign trade and m the needs of domestic coastal trade.
The total regional trade can be estimated at slightly over f0 million cubic rnetres per
yearr with some countries such as Ecuador and Peru being exporters, and [he others
imporLets, sr:ch as Chile. Panama is a special case since an iirporiant p"rt of the Alaskan
production carried in VLCC's is discharged at Port Armuelles on the pacific Coast. Until
October 1982' this oil was carried in rtPanamanian" type tankers through the panama Canal,
although now it is purnped through an oil pipeline to'the Atlantic. If this volume of oil is
added to the region's own volume, nearly 60 million cubic metres of oil is capied yearly in
the region.
There is no doubt that this movement of oil in the region generates routine pollution
from Lankers because facilities for the reception of oity balla-st, tank washings, sludge
drainage, etc. are absent or are of insufficienl capacity. For instance, the only tanker owned
by Colombia carries crude oil from the pacific Coast (Tumaco) to reiineries in the Aflantic
(Santa Marta), crossing the Panama Canal. After discharging its cargo, the ship goes to sea
f9r !an! washing and then returns to port to load producls that are immediately carried to
the Pacif ic (Buenaventura).
In addition, the total capacity of the regionrs tanker fleet is insufficient for the
volurne of oil transported. It thus becomes necessary to eharter tankers that do not always
neet the standards of the international provisions in force (Cow, IG, SgT, CgT, etc.). Since
such tankers ate not allowed to trade with countries with very ""u"r" regulations (USA,
J4an)' they are Qera[ed in this region because they are cheaper, and becaud stendards for
the prevention of oil pollution are noL fully implemented in ine region and monitoring and
control systems are not very effective and complete.
Marine incidentr end caeraltieo in the region
In general, the South-East Pacific has not been affected by major marine casualties
except in Chiler where because of weather conditions and irregular ge'ography a number of
incidents have rccumed causing majgr pollution. In the other countries-, lhe oniy rrious case
registered is the I'Seint Peter" which sank off the coast between iolombia and Ecuador,
polluting the coast and a wide zme of mangrove swemps and causing prawn mortality thai
resulted in economic effects of nearly I million dollars.
. Given the high volune of traffic in countries such as Panama, Eanador end peru, the
region has been lucky not to heve rnore incidents.
The cese of Chile is different. ln l97l the Greek tanker "Npie1* carrying some )0,fl)0
tons of crude oil from Bolivia strended off Guambtin Island in the southern part of the
eounlry. The effects of this oil pollution could rever be quantified, since the ship was burned
from the air.
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ln 1974' the VLCC rrMetularr stranded in the Megellan Sbaits ryilling some 52,500 tona
of oil' which et that tirne wes considered the seco-nd largest oil spill-after the
Canyonrr. Tlc 'rTonrcy
I'Metule" ceused major pollution that gtill eontinuee to affect the gfioree end
inlets of the area.
Another serioug cese wa8 the Chilean tanker 'rCabo Tsmar,r that gtranded in the Bay of
san Vicente in 1978 and apilled about .12,fi)0 tone, ceusing mejor pollution of the neirby
beaches and bays. No gneat ecological damage wae ceuged, -ho*everr'because of the oil epili
control and rccovery carried out.