Mekong River threatened by transport of dangerous goods
The Mekong River Commission has released a comprehensive risk analysis of the transport of dangerous goods and issued recommendations to prevent oil spills, industrial waste and other emerging threats from navigation. Developed by the MRC Navigation Programme in Phnom Penh, the risk analysis finds that the management of operations of selected ports, terminals and vessels is not adequate to prevent pollution and ensure safe operations. Several terminals, ports and vessels in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam are in poor structural condition and critical equipment is poorly maintained, increasing the risks of pollution, fire, explosions and other incidents. At the same time, private operators are not investing in safety and environmental protection. Monitoring of facilities and operations by national government agencies is meanwhile limited… Cambodia has 12 major riverside petroleum terminals that are used to distribute gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and LPG imported from Viet Nam. Floating fuel terminals on the Tonle Sap are meanwhile used for refuelling.
