Tanker Pollution

Two events occurred recently which are of profound significance to all persons concerned with the oceans: 1) At a meeting in February, the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organization (IMCO) offered new proposals to the world for curbing both willful and accidental pollution by oil tankers. The IMCO proposals were quickly embraced by the Carter administration. 2) A few weeks laters, the American supertanker Amoco Cadiz wrecked on the French coast. Mankind witnessed, for the first time, the ultimate pollution horror of the tanker age: full loss of cargo by a Very Large Crude Carrier. The spill wrought utter devastation on one of Europe's most beautiful and bountiful shores. Scientists describe it as the greatest marine environmental disaster of our time. We put together this special double issue of Ocean Reporter in order to give you early in-depth coverage of these landmark events.