Carriage, Handling and Storage of Dangerous Goods along

2. PORTS AND TERMINALS
2.1 INTRODUCTION
RECOMMENDATIONS 9
The natural resources, environment and quality of the water in the Mekong River are increasingly
under stress caused by solid waste, sewage and industrial wastewater disposed of into the river
with no or limited treatment. If not well managed, the storage and handling of dangerous goods in
ports and terminals along the Mekong River will cause environmental damage and an inevitable loss of
aquatic resources with profound economic repercussions. Controlling the risks associated with storing
and handling dangerous goods will depend on joint efforts, exchange of information and cooperation
between the riparian countries as the impact of most risks will go beyond national boundaries.
Facts and figures from the MRC Member Countries indicate growing demand for storing and handling
dangerous goods. New ports handling and storing dangerous goods are being developed in Cambodia
and Thailand. At the same time, navigation of waterways has improved and Cambodia's production of
oil, scheduled to start at the end of 2012, will increase demand for storage capacity. Given its position as
Southeast Asia's third-largest oil producer along with the cost-effectiveness and relative fuel efficiency
of inland waterborne transport, Viet Nam is likely to see increased demand for storage capacity as well.
If not carefully managed, the carriage, handling and storage of dangerous goods pose risks that are
potentially hazardous for people, property and the environment. Recent accidents in the oil industry
and at ports indicate the need for continuous vigilance from all people involved. The Risk Analysis
(Volume 1) considered the potential impact dangerous goods can have on people, property and the
environment. Since all risks can never be eliminated, some will always have to be accepted. The main
challenge is to determine the level of acceptance and to resolve the conflict between risk and economic
benefits.
The eventual goals are to find a way to manage the carriage, handling and storage of dangerous
goods so that benefits are optimal, eventual risks are reduced to an acceptable level and impacts
are minimised by being well prepared and equipped in case of an accident or incident. The risk
assessment should not be considered as a "one-time" exercise. As its ultimate aim is to identify
appropriate control measures that will reduce the risk of dangerous goods to people, property and the
environment to as low as reasonably practicable (ALARP), the assessment should be reviewed regularly.