With the growing market for transportation of oil and innocent passage through our waters of supertankers, transporting thousands of tons of this resource, Honduras is the need and obligation to further protect its territorial waters. We have a position strategically ideal transit point for marine traffic, rich marine resources, current-carrying sea marine life, food and attractive coral reefs that make us a geographically interesting place, because we are part of the System of Mesoamerican Reef ( SAM), so and universal mandate, we must protect our resources and the resources of the region. Pollution and incidents of oil spills and harmful substances, does not know border limits. It is for this reason that the IMO joined forces in the various maritime regions of the world to realize national and regional contingency plans for oil spills and hazardous substances to the sea. In conjunction with the Regional Association of Oil and Natural Gas in Latin America and the Caribbean – ARPEL, created guidelines that offer help to the representatives of government and industry to work closely together to develop a comprehensive and practical national plan that allows implementation of response measures and maximize environmental protection. To achieve this goal, to develop a National Plan is important to consider the resources at risk, sources and causes of the spill, environmental conditions and specific legal frameworks of each country, as well as other relevant factors.

This guide should be considered a pattern that can be used directly to develop a National Plan or to expand an existing plan. As an employer, it contains sections to complete based on user criteria to determine the most appropriate information to include.

Honduras, has its National Contingency Plan for Oil Spills and hazardous substances at sea (PNC), the same that is in the process of being adhered to the National System for Risk Management (SINAGER), and was developed in collaboration of all government institutions, which also have an important role protecting the marine environment, among others.