Shipboard Oil Pollution Emergency Plans - MARPOL Requirements

December 1993

The well publicised requirement for vessel response plans under the American Oil Pollution Act (OPA) 1990 has to some extent drawn attention away from similar and more widespread MARPOL requirements.

The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships 1973, as modified by the Protocol of 1978 (MARPOL 73/78), requires all oil tankers of 150 tons gross tonnage and above, and every other vessel of 400 tons gross tonnage and above, to have on board an oil pollution emergency plan, as approved by the vessel's flag state administration. This regulation (regulation 26 of Annex 1) applies to all new vessels as from 4th April 1993 but, for all vessels delivered before that date, will not come into force until 4th April 1995.

The purpose of the plan is to assist shipboard personnel in dealing with an unexpected discharge of oil and, in particular, to set in motion the necessary actions to stop or minimise such discharge and to mitigate its effects.

The contents of any plan will vary depending upon the vessel involved and the trade in which it operates, but each must address the following 4 points:-

i) the procedure to be followed by the master or other persons having charge of the vessel to report an oil pollution incident.

ii) a list of authorities or persons to be contacted in the event of an oil pollution incident;

iii) a detailed description of the action to be taken immediately by shipboard personnel to reduce or control the discharge of oil;

iv) the procedures and point of contact on board for co-ordinating shipboard activities with national and local authorities in combating the pollution.

 

A set of guidelines ( MEPC Circular 256 ) has been developed by the International Marine Organisation (IMO) to facilitate in the production of such a shipboard emergency plan.