Following the Fujairah Oil Dumping Trail

Readers of The National online edition noticed on the front page another photo of an oil spill with the caption: “Another large slick of oil began washing up onto the beaches in Khor Fakkan near Fujairah’s coastline.”

This photo and article appeared less than two days after this headline, ‘Fujairah Civic Chief Pledges Solutions’, The National, 14 June 2008.

It says: “Mr Hamoudi, who is originally from Dibba, a developing tourist haven, said the municipality would continue to look for ways to deal with [the] issue of frequent oil spills. ‘We’re studying new techniques to deal with these,’ he said.”

Here is a sample of the articles from many sources and spheres that have been written this year reporting the oil dumpings, seeking to understand the causes, analyzing the damage and suggesting solutions.

Following the 2008 Oil Dumping Trail:
More Oil for the Emirates-Spill Affects Tourism, Deeper Blue, 20 February 2008
Oil Damages Fujairah Beaches, Marine Life and Tourism, Fujairah in Focus, 20 February 2008.
Hotels Seek Strict Action on Oil Spill, Gulf News, 21 February 2008.
Spill Spells Trouble, 7 Days, 21 February 2008.
2nd Oil Spill for Emirates East Coast, Deeper Blue, 9 March 2008
Further Oil Spillages Call for Urgent Action, Fujairah in Focus, 11 March 2008
‘Oil Draining’ in Fujairah waters not ‘Oil Spills’, Experiencing the Emirates, 11 March 2008.
Monitor the Oil tankers and Keep our Beaches Clean, The National, 11 May 2008
Nissar Hoath, ‘Gulf Accounts for 75% of World’s Oil Spills,’ Emirates Business 24-7, 21 May 2008.
Gulf Holds World record for Oil Spills, Experiencing the Emirates, 21 May 2008.
Oil Spill Blackens Fujairah, The National, 2 June 2008.
Video: Oil washes up on Fujairah Beaches, The National, 3 June 2008
Oil Spills Threaten Beaches and Business, The National, 3 June 2008.
Oil Dumpers give authorities the slip, The National, 5 June 2008.
Another Oil Spill Hits East Coast of UAE, Gulf News, 10 June 2008
The Valentine Should Have its Day, The National, 11 June 2008.
Cheaper to Pay the Fine than Dispose of Waste, The National, 11 June 2008.
Spill Solution, The National, 11 June 2008.
Interactive: Cleaning up oil in Fujairah, The National, 12 June 2008.
Drilling Down into Oil Dumping Problem, Fujairah in Focus, 13 June 2008
Fujairah Civic Chief Pledges Solutions, The National, 14 June 2008.
Large Oil Slick Lines Coast near Fujairah, The National, 15 June 2008.
Eleventh Oil Slick in 2008 Covers East Coast beaches, Experiencing the Emirates, 15 June 2008.

Dr. Geoff Pound

Image: The oil on the beach and in the water today at Khor Fakkan.