Exxon Valdez

On March 24, 1989, the oil supertanker, Exxon Valdez, ran aground in Prince William Sound, Alaska spilling 11 million gallons of oil killing hundreds of thousands of biotic life and coating over a thousand miles of coastline in crude oil (Catch News, 2022). This not only devastated the commercial fishing industry, but also affected nearly a dozen communities in surrounding areas, including Native American reservations. Within a few short weeks, the oil industry pushed stricter regulations for the environment, safety protocols, and oversight, which became state legislature a little over a year later.

US President George H. W. Bush signed into law the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA90) which was a massive piece of legislation that rewrote the rules for the oil and gas industry (OffShoreInjuryFirm, 2019). This piece of legislation remains the global standard for oil spill
prevention and response. A monumental component to OPA90 was the adding of Regional Citizen’ Advisory Councils. These are made up of residents who represent important stakeholders in their own regions to balance the power between industry and federal
regulators (Hakai Magazine, 2020). This this incident is the second largest oil-related environmental disaster in American history and has been deeply criticized for being avoidable had Exxon been better prepared.

OPA90, arguably one of the most momentous pieces of maritime legislation to date, works to prevent disasters like this one from happening again. By intensifying oversight and reinforcing safety standards, this Act mandated the establishment of contingency plans. Moreover, the significance of crew’s well-being and addressing issues such as being overworked, inadequate training, and substance abuse rehabilitation programs, were recognized. Given that human error constituted the primary cause of the Exxon Valdez grounding, oil companies were, and continue to be, obligated to ensure the welfare of their crews. After the grounding of the Exxon Valdez, various significant initiatives were undertaken to avert similar accidents. Much like the tragic sinking of the R.M.S. Titanic, this incident prompted
the global adoption of double-hulled oil tankers (MarineLink, 2014). Critics argue that had this precaution been implemented earlier, the disaster very well could have been prevented. This spill also spurred the development and implementation of functional GPS systems on board vessels. Beyond deficiencies in the ship’s design, the health and training of the crew became pivotal factors in this foreseeable catastrophe as well.