In the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 1996, the United States Coast Guard (USCG) was directed to assess the risk of spills for oils that may sink or be negatively buoyant, to examine and evaluate existing cleanup technologies, and to identify and appraise technological and financial barriers that could impede a prompt response to such spills. The USCG requested that the National Research Council (NRC) perform these tasks. In response to this request, the NRC established the Committee on the Marine Transportation of Heavy Oils.

Table of Contents


Front Matter
Executive Summary
1 Transportation of Heavy Oils and the Risk of Spills
2 Behavioral Models and the Resources at Risk
3 Technologies and Techniques
4 Barriers to Effective Response
5 Findings, Conclusions, and Recommendations
References
Appendix A: Biographical Sketches of Committee Members
Appendix B: Participants in the Workshop and Meetings