INTEGRATED SAFEGUARDS DATASHEET
APPRAISAL STAGE

I. Basic Information
Date prepared/updated: 07/31/2005
Report No.: AC1320
Public Disclosure Authorized
1. Basic Project Data

Country: Mauritius
Project ID: P078643
Project Name: GEF-Marine Highway and Coastal Contamination Prevention
Task Team Leader: Abdelmoula M. Ghzala
GEF Focal Area: International waters
Global Supplemental ID:
Estimated Appraisal Date: June 29, 2005
Estimated Board Date: November 15, 2005
Managing Unit: AFTTR
Lending Instrument: Specific Investment
Loan
Sector: Ports, waterways and shipping (60%);Information technology (20%);Central
government administration (20%)
Theme: Environmental policies and institutions (P);Pollution management and
environmental health (P);Law reform (S);Technology diffusion (S);Regional integration
Public Disclosure Authorized
(S)
IBRD Amount (US$m.):
0.00
IDA Amount (US$m.):
0.00
GEF Amount (US$m.):
11.00
PCF Amount (US$m.):
0.00
Other financing amounts by source:
BORROWER/RECIPIENT
5.00

FOREIGN SOURCES (UNIDENTIFIED)
10.00
15.00
Environmental Category: C - Not Required
Simplified Processing
Simple []
Repeater []
Public Disclosure Authorized
Is this project processed under OP 8.50 (Emergency Recovery)
Yes [ ]
No [X]
2. Project Objectives
The project's development objective is to increase the safety and efficiency of navigation.
This will be achieved by establishing a demonstration marine electronic highway to
guide
ships through selected busy sea lanes and by strengthening capacity for port state
control.
Global Environmental Objectives
The project#s main global environmental objective is to reduce the risk of ship-based
environmental contamination (such as oil spills from groundings and illegal discharges
of
ballast and bilge waters) and the unsustainable exploitation of marine resources (such as
Public Disclosure Authorized
illegal fishing and fishing practices). This will be achieved by testing the economic,
technical, and institutional feasibility of introducing precision navigation systems, such
as an
electronically supported marine highway to guide ships through sensitive areas and to

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monitor the movements and activities of fishing and other vessels operating within
countries#
territorial waters. Strengthening capacity for port state control will also help.
2
A second objective, focusing on Kenya, Mozambique, and Tanzania, is to reduce risks
of
environmental damage to beaches, fishing grounds, and other domestic resources from
spills
of oil and chemicals. This will be achieved by supporting efforts of Kenya, Tanzania,
and
Mozambique to become part of a regional oil spill response plan, by completing the
identification and mapping of environmentally sensitive areas along coasts and sea
lanes, and
by widening the regional collaboration that has been built under the GEF-supported
West
Indian Ocean Islands Oil Spill Contingency Planning Project.
The proposed project is in line with the country assistance strategies (CASs) of the
participating countries. The Kenya CAS (2004) names the proposed project as important
not
only to protect coastal and marine resources, but also to promote regional integration.
The
Mozambique CAS (2003) emphasizes the importance of protecting coastal and marine
resources to promote sustainable development of tourism, a major source of growth in
the
country. The Madagascar CAS (2003) places environmental protection at the center of
its
strategy, noting the strong linkages between environmental degradation and high levels
of
poverty. CASs for Mauritius (2002), Comoros (2000), and Tanzania (2000) all discuss
environmental protection as a key element in their strategies. No recent CASs have been
produced for Seychelles or for South Africa. Both countries, however, have taken strong
action to protect their coastal and marine resources in recognition of the importance of
the
tourism and fishing industries to their economies.
The project#s global objectives are also in line with the objectives of the Nairobi
convention,
which are to encourage regional initiatives and cooperation among the states for the
protection, management, and development of marine and coastal resources of the
eastern
African region. They are also consistent with those of the CLC92, OPRC90, FUND92,
MARPOL 73/78, SOLAS, COLREG and other conventions of the International
Maritime
Organization. Collectively, these conventions require signatories to take coordinated
action
to protect marine and coastal resources and ensure the safety of navigation.

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The project will contribute to the goals of GEF operational program 10 in several ways,
and
its strategic priority 3 (undertake innovative demonstration projects for reducing
contaminants). It is expected to demonstrate ways to overcome barriers to adoption of
best
practices that limit contamination of the international waters environment by developing
a
marine electronic highway to aid the navigation of ships through particularly hazardous
seaways. The project will also leverage significant private sector support to demonstrate
the
value of using modern technology to help ships avoid collisions in busy marine
corridors.
The modern technology will also permit countries to monitor and control fishing in their
territorial waters.
The proposed project also satisfies the criteria for the operational strategy for
international
waters#to assist groups of countries to better understand the environmental concerns of
their international waters and work collaboratively to address them#through its support
for
analytical work and establishment of information systems, for ratifying conventions and
translating their provisions into law, and for building institutional capacity to more
comprehensively address transboundary water-related environmental concerns.

3. Project Description
The project will include Kenya, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, Madagascar,
Comoros, Mauritius and Seychelles, and as a partner La R?union (France), covering a
combined coastline of 13,300 kilometers. Following the model developed for the Straits
of
Malacca and Singapore, the development of the western Indian Ocean marine highway
will
be implemented in phases. The first phase (the project) will establish as a pilot an
electronically supported marine highway for some of the region#s major shipping
routes, will
assess the feasibility of the concept, and, should the concept prove viable, will finance
preparation of a follow-up project agreed upon by the countries. The second phase (or a
follow-up project) will build on the experience of the first phase and establish a full
marine
electronic highway covering all major shipping routes of the western Indian Ocean
region.
Components include:
Component A: Development of a regional marine highway. This component will
support
the establishment of a network of electronic navigational charts in conjunction with the
differential global positioning system and other maritime technologies, which will form
the

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backbone of a marine electronic highway extending from South Africa to the
Mozambican
port of Nacala (west of Comoros) to Aldabra (Seychelles). Vessels using this route will
come under the control of the marine highway electronically supported in South Africa,
again at Inharrime, and again at Nacala, and then again at Aldabra until leaving the
marine
highway. As the area between these points is in deep water and is far from the coasts,
the
area will be surveyed and electronic charts will be provided to vessels. In addition, the
route
north from the Seychelles will be surveyed to provide mariners with up-to-date
information
on how to navigate the route safely after they leave the marine highway.
The component includes six subcomponents: (1) production of nautical charts and
publications; (2) maintenance of these charts and publications; (3) survey and
rehabilitation
of the main aids to navigation on the route of the marine highway; (4) establishment of
an
automatic information service and ship reporting scheme; (5) search and rescue
activities;
and finally (6) the evaluation of the demonstration phase and preparation of the second
phase
if the demonstration phase proves to be feasible and sufficiently beneficial to justify
costs.
It is expected that the large vessels transporting oil and chemicals will choose to sail
under
the control of the marine electronic highway, rather than outside its boundaries, because
doing so will reduce their risks of groundings and collisions and increase their
efficiency of
navigation. It is less obvious that fishing vessels will be interested in coming under the
control of the marine electronic highway. The evaluation of the demonstration project
will
include an in-depth study of the costs and benefits to large fishing vessels of using a
marine
electronic highway, and will specify a range of regulatory and other measures that
would
encourage such vessels to use it.
Component B: Capacity building for prevention of coastal and marine contamination.
This component contains three subcomponents. The first will assist Kenya,
Mozambique,
4
and Tanzania to develop or enhance national oil spill contingency plans; join the
regional
plan developed for the island states under the GEF-supported Western Indian Ocean Oil
Spill

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Contingency Planning project; and create and maintain coastal and marine sensitivity
maps,
needed to establish the marine highway and improve planning. The second will support
the
development of a methodology to identify and assign values to the key environmental
resources in the region. The third will support the development of a regional database
and a
geographic information system on the marine environment, marine and coastal
resources,
ship movements, ship waste, and sea-based activities. The IMO, IPIECA, the European
Commission (EC), and France have expressed interest in contributing to or cofinancing
the
preparation of the national oil spill contingency plans.
Component C: Widening capacity for regional oil spill response. This component will
assist Kenya, Mozambique, and Tanzania (1) to identify and overcome obstacles to
ratifying
IMO conventions intended to protect the marine and coastal environments and to
improve
the safety of navigation, (2) to identify the needs for and provide the necessary
equipment
and onsite training, (3) to support the preparation of a regional marine pollution
contingency
plan that covers all participating countries, and (4) to strengthen a regional center to
coordinate national actions and to monitor regionwide environmental conditions and
causes
of degradation and damage. GEF financing will in particular assist countries to ratify
conventions and to enact the enabling legislation. The IMO, IPIECA, the EC, and
France
have expressed interest in contributing to or in cofinancing these activities.
Component D: Regional institutional strengthening and project management. Port state
control allows countries to require that ships entering their ports meet the requirements
of the
major conventions of the IMO on the safety of navigation and the prevention of
pollution
from ships regardless of whether or not the flag state is party to the conventions. A
regional
port state control arrangement provides an effective tool to ensure that ships using
international navigation routes and calling on major ports in a region comply with the
rules
and standards set out in the applicable IMO conventions. This component will support
the
development and implementation of a regional agreement on port state control, covering
issues such as procedures for surveillance, inspection, and detention of ships, and
arrangements for exchanging information. It will also support capacity building,
including

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training of inspectors to international standards in port state control. The subcomponent
will
also support several regional workshops aimed at developing consensus among
countries on
priority actions, administrative arrangements, and coordination mechanisms to be used
in
promoting regional marine environmental management.
Assistance will be needed at the regional, subregional, and national levels to manage the
project and coordinate the various activities. This component will finance equipment,
staff,
and logistical support required by the regional body, a subregional entity, and national
institutions to ensure that the project is implemented efficiently and to build sustainable
capacity of the participating entities to manage the development of the marine highway
and
to coordinate activities after the project is completed. The component will also support
regional training and seminars on maritime traffic management and pollution
prevention, and
on measures to protect coastal and marine biological resources. It will also strengthen
the
technical capabilities and the institutional and coordinating arrangements among the
concerned states to collectively prevent, manage, and respond to transboundary marine
pollution. This component will support technical assistance and studies as needed during
project implementation. Finally, this component will support the establishment of
mechanisms for sustainable financing of the development of the marine highway and
other
infrastructure and capacity created through the project.
GEF funds will complement technical assistance provided through the other partners in
the
program, and will finance only activities that contribute to global environmental benefits
and
that others cannot finance. Specifically, GEF funds will finance activities designed to
prevent marine and coastal contamination activities and activities that support
surveillance
and enforcement of laws and regulation governing the shipping and fisheries industries.
This
includes development and installation of a pilot marine electronic highway and creation
of
capacity for port state control. The oil spill contingency planning activities are largely
baseline activities, and the GEF will allocate limited funding for these, focusing on the
activities designed to widen the regional plan and strengthen regional collaboration.

4. Project Location and salient physical characteristics relevant to the safeguard
analysis
The project will cover the coastal and marine areas of Kenya, Mozambique, South Africa,
Tanzania, Madagascar, Comoros, Mauritius and Seychelles, with a combined coastline
of

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about 13,300 kilometers.
The first phase of the marine electronic highway will cover a route including South
Africa,
Inharrime (north of Maputo), Nacala (west of Comoros), and Aldabra (Seychelles).
Project
supported activities, which involve surveying of the ocean floor and creating electronic
navigational charts, will have no adverse environmental consequences.

5. Environmental and Social Safeguards Specialists

6. Safeguard Policies Triggered
Yes No
Environmental Assessment (OP/BP 4.01)
X
Natural Habitats (OP/BP 4.04)
X
Forests (OP/BP 4.36)
X
Pest Management (OP 4.09)
X
Cultural Property (OPN 11.03)
X
Indigenous Peoples (OD 4.20)
X
Involuntary Resettlement (OP/BP 4.12)
X
Safety of Dams (OP/BP 4.37)
X
Projects on International Waterways (OP/BP 7.50)
X
Projects in Disputed Areas (OP/BP 7.60)
X
II. Key Safeguard Policy Issues and Their Management
A. Summary of Key Safeguard Issues
1. Describe any safeguard issues and impacts associated with the proposed project.
Identify and describe any potential large scale, significant and/or irreversible impacts:
There are no potential safeguard issues associated with the project. The project will
finance primarily
technical assistance to develop a marine electronic highway, to widen regional capacity
to respond to oil
and chemical spills, and to strengthen capacity for port state control.

2. Describe any potential indirect and/or long term impacts due to anticipated future
activities in the project area:
The project in the long run is expected to contribute to the reductions in the risks of
catastrophic damage
from oil and chemical spills.

3. Describe any project alternatives (if relevant) considered to help avoid or minimize
adverse impacts.
Not applicable.

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4. Describe measures taken by the borrower to address safeguard policy issues. Provide
an assessment of borrower capacity to plan and implement the measures described.
Not applicable.

5. Identify the key stakeholders and describe the mechanisms for consultation and
disclosure on safeguard policies, with an emphasis on potentially affected people.
Key stakeholders have been involved in preparing the project. These include the IMO,
ministries of
transport and environment, port authorities groups representing the oil shipping
industry (IPIECA,
INTERTANKO, ITOPF), groups representing navigation (International Hydrographic
Bureau,
International Hydrographic Organization, and the International Association of
Lighthouse Authorities),
local oil and shipping firms, groups representing the fishing industry, and development
partners. Both
the UNDP and the UNEP have been consulted to ensure that complementarities among
relevant projects
are used to maximum effect. The team preparing the proposed GEF-supported
Southwest Indian Ocean
Fisheries Project has also been involved in discussions on possible ways the marine
electronic highway
can be used effectively to monitor and control large fishing vessels. Local communities
in the countries
developing capacity to respond to oil spills have been consulted during project
preparation through
meetings organized by community leaders.
The proposed project was discussed at a high-level seminar in December 2004
organized by SAMSA
with participation of the various stakeholders to agree on the final project objectives,
design, and
implementation arrangements. Its recommendations have improved the project design.
The involvement of stakeholders in preparing the project provides a solid foundation for
stakeholder
participation during project implementation. Workshops will be held periodically with
relevant
stakeholders for purposes of training, knowledge sharing, and institution building.
Annual project
planning workshops will also be held with the participation of all key stakeholders to
prepare the
following year#s work program, specifying the role and contribution of each of the
stakeholders to the
implementation of the project. Local communities will participate in designing
information campaigns
on the risks of oil spills and measures that could be taken to prevent them. This was
done very

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effectively under the Western Indian Ocean Oil Spill Contingency Planning Project. A
key output of the
project is expected to be a strengthened regional institution which provides a permanent
forum through
which various stakeholders come together to discuss issues of common concern and
coordinate their
actions. Local oil and shipping companies and port authorities will be part of the
national and regional
contingency plans. A detailed stakeholder involvement plan will be prepared no later
than project
appraisal.

B. Disclosure Requirements Date
* If the project triggers the Pest Management, Cultural Property and/or the Safety
of Dams policies, the respective issues are to be addressed and disclosed as part of
the Environmental Assessment/Audit/or EMP.
If in-country disclosure of any of the above documents is not expected, please
explain why:
C. Compliance Monitoring Indicators at the Corporate Level (to be filled in when the
ISDS is finalized by the project decision meeting)

BP 17.50 - Public Disclosure

Have relevant safeguard policies documents been sent to the World Bank's
No
Infoshop?
Have relevant documents been disclosed in-country in a public place in a
No
form and language that are understandable and accessible to project-affected
groups and local NGOs?
All Safeguard Policies

Have satisfactory calendar, budget and clear institutional responsibilities

been prepared for the implementation of measures related to safeguard
policies?
Have costs related to safeguard policy measures been included in the project

cost?
Does the Monitoring and Evaluation system of the project include the

monitoring of safeguard impacts and measures related to safeguard policies?
Have satisfactory implementation arrangements been agreed with the

borrower and the same been adequately reflected in the project legal
documents?

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D. Approvals

Signed and submitted by:
Name
Date
Task Team Leader:
Mr Abdelmoula M. Ghzala
07/25/2005
Environmental Specialist:


Social Development Specialist


Additional Environmental and/or

Social Development Specialist(s):
Approved by:

Regional Safeguards Coordinator:
Mr Thomas E. Walton
07/25/2005
Comments:
Sector Manager:
Mr Anil S. Bhandari
07/25/2005
Comments: Acting Sector Manager.

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