- The base description of biofuels as an easily found national resource is a supported fact in many cases (Bringezuk 2009). Alongside this ease of acquisition will be an accompanying ease of security, this is correctly addressed in the answer as well. However, the fundamental abuse of biodiesel in the maritime transport industry itself has not been credibly represented. While the use of biofuels does have the capacity to create jobs, there is emerging science that indicates that there substantial potential for abuse and pollution (Bringezuk 2009).
Demirbas (2006) illustrates the many benefits that include the creation of jobs as well as an increase in fundamental security. However, this is offset with the admonition that there is a substantial element of inherent risk if the components of the biofuel are incorrectly managed. Further, there is not a sustained trend that reflects a reduction in associated attacks on the infrastructure due to development of biofuels (Demirbas 2006).
- The overall assessment of the oil tanker as being vulnerable to a physical attack is a supported fact (Bajpai and Gupta 2007). There have been numerous examples of oil tankers sustaining damage enough to cause a massive oil spill. However, the assertion that the oil tanker would be more vulnerable to terrorism or vandalism is an arguable point, due to the very size and nature of the massive vessels (Bajpai and Gupta 2007). Secondarily, if the ship itself did fall into the wrong hands, the oil in the holds would have to be refined, in most cases, in order to provide the pirates with a financial gain.
Arslan and Er (2007) illustrate the point that while a tanker may seem to be a good terrorist goal, the bulkiness; slow travel nature and overall large size of the tankers the logistics of such an attack would be very complex. Overall, the assessment for oil tankers is that they are more likely to be damaged in an act of nature than an incident of humanity (Arslan and Er, 2007).
References
Arslan, O. and Er, I. (2013). SWOT analysis for safer carriage of bulk liquid chemicals in tankers. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 154 (1), pp. 901-913.
Bajpai, S. and Gupta, J. (2007). Securing oil and gas infrastructure. Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering, 55 (1), pp. 174-186.
Bringezu, S. (2009). Towards sustainable production and use of resources. Paris: United Nations Environment Programme.
Demirbas, A. (2006). Progress and recent trends in biofuels. Progress in Energy and Combustion and Science, 33 (1), pp. 1-18.
