ROPME

NIMC applies for its own ROPME area , which will be available to ALL vessels passing in the Namibian international waters. this will enable the vessels to offload their slop oily waste to our bunker operation offshore from whre it will be shipped to Walvisbay for processing. ROPME Member States have agreed to establish a network of reception facilities for oily waste and other wastes in accordance with the Special Area provisions. UNEP is participating in the Task Team for a regional arrangement for reception facilities (to be implemented by the private sector). GNOME (General NOAA Operational Modeling Environment) is the oil spill trajectory model used by OR&R Emergency Response Division (ERD) responders during an oil spill. ERD trajectory modellers use GNOME in Diagnostic Mode to set up custom scenarios quickly. Companies can use GNOME (with a Location File) to: predict how wind, currents, and other processes might move and spread oil spilled on the water. learn how predicted oil trajectories are affected by inexactness ("uncertainty") in current and wind observations and forecasts. see how spilled oil is predicted to change chemically and physically ("weather") during the time that it remains on the water surface. To use GNOME, you describe a spill scenario by entering information into the program; GNOME then creates and displays an oil spill "movie" showing the predicted trajectory of the oil spilled in your scenario. Along with GNOME, most users also will want to download the Location Files for their regions of interest. Location Files contain pre-packaged tide and current data and make it easier to work with GNOME. GNOME was developed by the Emergency Response Division (ERD) (formerly the Hazardous Materials Response Division [HAZMAT]) of NOAA's Office of Response and Restoration (OR&R). Regional Coordination Unit for the West and Central Africa Action Plan (WACAF/RCU) Ministry of Environment and Forests 20 BP 650, Abidjan 20, Cote d’Ivoire Tel: +20 21 1183/0623 Fax: +20 22 2050 E-mail: biodiv@africaonline.co.ci UNEP Regional Seas  (Nairobi and Abidjan Conventions) P.O. Box 30552, Nairobi 00100, Kenya Tel: +254 20 622025 Fax: +254 20 624 300 E-mail: dixon.waruinge@unep.org Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, DR Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania, Namibia, Nigeria, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo The coastal countries from Mauritania to Namibia contain highly productive and diverse ecosystems supporting rich fisheries, coastal tourism, industries and busy ports. The region, however, has seen terrible conflicts resulting in immense poverty. In recent decades coastal ecosystems have suffered greatly from rapid development, improper use of resources and extensive pollution. Coastal erosion and floods are already particular problems, likely to be exacerbated by climate change. Crucial habitats are disappearing virtually everywhere, and human societies are both the perpetrators and victims of this destruction. The Regional Seas Programme for West and Central Africa Region (WACAF) was forged in the early 1980s. The West and Central African Action Plan and the Abidjan Convention and associated protocol were adopted by the Governments of the region in 1981. Projects on contingency planning, pollution, coastal erosion, environmental impact assessment, environmental legislation and marine mammals soon followed. To begin with progress was slow, however, today, WACAF is back on track, holding regular meetings and implementing its planned activities. At the last meeting of Conference of Parties the aims were to establish a Regional Coordinating Unit in Abidjan and the election of a new Bureau. WACAF also hopes to learn and benefit from the family of Regional Seas Programmes with the recent twinning with the partner programme OSPAR (North East Atlantic region). Geographic and General Information Region: West and Central Africa Participating States: Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Democratic Republic of Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania, Namibia, Nigeria, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo, Congo and South Africa. Total Population: Approximately 326.2 million (2002) Length of coastline: Approximately 13, 553 km GIWA Regions: 41. Canary Current, 42 Gulf of Guinea, 44 Benguela Current, 45 Agulhas Current Large Marine Ecosystems: Canary current, Guinea current, Benguela current   www.n-imc.com  © 1996 — 2007 NIMC (Pty) LTD, All Rights  reserved