The effects of the M/V Sea Prince accident on maritime safety management in Korea

The Sea Prince accident was the first VLCC accident in Korea and a shock to the general public and government. Before the accident, any oil-spill management plan, such as National contingency plan (NCP) and regional contingency plans (RCPs), was not available and the resources for oil spills were lacking for the Sea Prince accident. About 5000 tons of oil spilled, polluting large areas of southern coastal waters, damaging the fisheries, including aquaculture. After the Sea Prince accident, Korea's government established various alternatives for dealing with oil spills, such as the NCP, RCPs, Typhoon Refuge Management Plan, and resources for oil-spill response. However, port safety management in emergency situations such as typhoons has not been solved.