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1 MARINE GUIDANCE NOTE MGN 110 (M+F) INTRODUCTION 1. Regulation 26 of Annex I to MARPOL 73/78 requires every oil tanker of 150 gross tons and above and every other ship of 400 gross tons and above to carry a shipboard oil pollution emergency plan approved by the vessel’s flag Administration. Regulation 26 entered into force on 4 April 1993 for new ships (i.e. those built after 4 April 1993) and on 4 April 1995 for all existing ships. 2. Regulation 26 has been made effective in the United Kingdom by virtue of The Merchant Shipping (Prevention of Oil Pollution) Regulations 1996 (Regulation 33). 3. The purpose of this Marine Guidance Note is to remind the shipping industry of the arrangements in place and where plans should be submitted for approval. 4. To facilitate the work of the Administration and to assist those involved in drawing up plans, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has produced Guidelines, as IMO Resolution MEPC 54(32), for the development of shipboard oil pollution emergency plans. The Guidelines are reproduced at Annex 1. SHIPBOARD OIL POLLUTION EMERGENCY PLANS 5. The Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) takes the view that the plans should be simple documents which make use of summarizing flow charts or checklists to guide the Master through the various actions and decisions required in responding to an incident. It is intended that the plan should assist the ships’ crew when dealing with an accidental discharge of oil into the sea. Its primary purpose is to set in motion the necessary actions to stop or minimize the discharge and to reduce its effects on the marine environment. 6. As emphasized in the Guidelines, the need for a properly structured plan is clear when the pressure and multiplicity of tasks which will confront a ships’ crew in an emergency are considered. To accomplish its purpose the plan must be realistic, practical and easy to use. Against this background, the MCA limits its approval of the shipboard oil pollution emergency plan to those parts of the Guidelines corresponding to sub- paragraphs (a), (b), (c) and (d) of MARPOL Annex I, regulation 26(2). 7. Background information concerning the ship, its cargo and other factors which may be relevant should be placed in annexes in order that ships’ crews may locate the operative parts of the plan more easily. The annexes are not included in the MCA’s assessment or in the approval arrangements. PLAN APPROVAL 8. The guidelines adopted by MEPC provide very comprehensive information together with illustrative tables and flow charts to aid those preparing a plan. Shipowners and those drafting a plan are advised to ensure that the plan covers, in sufficient depth and detail, all of the requirements of the Guidelines which have been made mandatory. 9. A copy of IMO Resolution A851(20) which contains general principles for reporting incidents involving marine pollutants and upon which the reporting requirements of the emergency plans Guidelines is based at Annex 2. Shipboard Oil Pollution Emergency Plans Notice to Shipowners, Masters and Officers (This Notice supersedes Merchant Shipping Notices Nos. M.1524 and M.1599)

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Page 1: MARINE GUIDANCE NOTEtotal-care.in/ebooks/SOPEP.pdf · An example of a summarising flowchart referred to in paragraph 1.4.4 is included in the Example Format for Shipboard Oil Pollution

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MARINE GUIDANCE NOTE

MGN 110 (M+F)

INTRODUCTION

1. Regulation 26 of Annex I to MARPOL 73/78requires every oil tanker of 150 gross tons andabove and every other ship of 400 gross tons andabove to carry a shipboard oil pollution emergencyplan approved by the vessel’s flag Administration.Regulation 26 entered into force on 4 April 1993 fornew ships (i.e. those built after 4 April 1993) and on4 April 1995 for all existing ships.

2. Regulation 26 has been made effective in theUnited Kingdom by virtue of The MerchantShipping (Prevention of Oil Pollution) Regulations1996 (Regulation 33).

3. The purpose of this Marine Guidance Note isto remind the shipping industry of thearrangements in place and where plans should besubmitted for approval.

4. To facilitate the work of the Administrationand to assist those involved in drawing up plans,the International Maritime Organization (IMO) hasproduced Guidelines, as IMO Resolution MEPC54(32), for the development of shipboard oilpollution emergency plans. The Guidelines arereproduced at Annex 1.

SHIPBOARD OIL POLLUTIONEMERGENCY PLANS

5. The Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA)takes the view that the plans should be simpledocuments which make use of summarizing flowcharts or checklists to guide the Master through thevarious actions and decisions required inresponding to an incident. It is intended that theplan should assist the ships’ crew when dealingwith an accidental discharge of oil into the sea. Its

primary purpose is to set in motion the necessaryactions to stop or minimize the discharge and toreduce its effects on the marine environment.

6. As emphasized in the Guidelines, the need fora properly structured plan is clear when thepressure and multiplicity of tasks which willconfront a ships’ crew in an emergency areconsidered. To accomplish its purpose the planmust be realistic, practical and easy to use. Againstthis background, the MCA limits its approval ofthe shipboard oil pollution emergency plan tothose parts of the Guidelines corresponding to sub-paragraphs (a), (b), (c) and (d) of MARPOL AnnexI, regulation 26(2).

7. Background information concerning the ship,its cargo and other factors which may be relevantshould be placed in annexes in order that ships’crews may locate the operative parts of the planmore easily. The annexes are not included in theMCA’s assessment or in the approvalarrangements.

PLAN APPROVAL

8. The guidelines adopted by MEPC providevery comprehensive information together withillustrative tables and flow charts to aid thosepreparing a plan. Shipowners and those drafting aplan are advised to ensure that the plan covers, insufficient depth and detail, all of the requirementsof the Guidelines which have been mademandatory.

9. A copy of IMO Resolution A851(20) whichcontains general principles for reporting incidentsinvolving marine pollutants and upon which thereporting requirements of the emergency plansGuidelines is based at Annex 2.

Shipboard Oil Pollution Emergency PlansNotice to Shipowners, Masters and Officers

(This Notice supersedes Merchant Shipping Notices Nos. M.1524 and M.1599)

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10. The fees charged for plan approval are basedon the time taken by surveyors to complete thework at the hourly fee rate current at the time.Fee calculations will take account of identicalsections which reduce the work required inmultiple submissions. In calculating fees, theMCA will make every endeavor to ensureconsistency.

11. Arrangements exist whereby plans areapproved by Regional Marine Offices.Shipowners should submit any plans to theMarine Office they normally deal with. TheMarine Office will require a deposit of feesagainst an estimate of the work involved inaccordance with the MCA’s standard financialprocedures.

12. Any general questions relating to theapplication for plan approval and any questionsrelating to the guidelines should be addressed tothe appropriate Marine Office. A full list ofMarine Offices and their addresses is given atAnnex 3.

Maritime & Coastguard AgencyRoom 2/21Spring PlaceSouthamptonSO15 1EG

Tel: 01703 329191Fax: 01703 329204

MS 28/27/21

May 1999

THE DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT,TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS An executive agency of the Department of the

Environment, Transport and the Regions

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ANNEX 1

GUIDELINES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SHIPBOARD OIL POLLUTIONEMERGENCY PLANS

PREFACEThese Guidelines, prepared by the Marine Environment Protection Committee of the InternationalMaritime Organisation (IMO), contain information for the preparation of shipboard oil pollutionemergency plans. These plans are required under Regulation 26 of Annex I of the InternationalConvention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships 1973 as modified by the protocol of 1978 relatingthereto, as amended (MARPOL 73/78).

The main objectives of these Guidelines are:

- to assist shipowners in preparing shipboard oil pollution emergency plans that comply with the citedregulation;

- to assist Governments in developing and enacting domestic laws which give force to and implementthe cited regulation.

In the interest of uniformity, Governments are requested to refer to these Guidelines when preparingappropriate national regulations.

CONTENTS

Preface

SECTIONS1. INTRODUCTION2. MANDATORY PROVISIONS3. NON-MANDATORY PROVISIONS

APPENDICESAppendix I - Additional References for the Development of Shipboard Oil Pollution Emergency Plans.Appendix II - Example Format for Shipboard Oil Pollution Emergency Plan.

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GUIDELINES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SHIPBOARD OIL POLLUTIONEMERGENCY PLANS

1. INTRODUCTION1.1 These Guidelines have been developed to assist with the preparation of the shipboard oil pollutionemergency plans (hereafter referred to as the “Plan(s)”) that are required by Regulation 26 of Annex I ofthe International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973, as modified by theProtocol of 1978 relating thereto, as amended (MARPOL 73/78) (hereafter referred to as the“Convention”). The Plan must be approved in accordance with this regulation.

1.2 The Guidelines are comprised of three primary sections:

.1 Introduction: This section provides a general overview of the subject matter and introduces thereader to the basic concept of the Guidelines and the Plans that are expected to be developed fromthem.

.2 Mandatory provisions: This section provides guidance to ensure that the mandatory provisionsof Regulation 26 of Annex I of the Convention are met.

.3 Non-Mandatory provisions: This section provides guidance concerning the inclusion of otherinformation in the Plan. This information, although not required by Regulation 26 of Annex I ofMARPOL 73/78, may be required by local authorities in ports visited by the ship, or it may beadded to provide additional assistance to the ship’s master when responding to an emergencysituation. This section also provides guidance on updating and exercising of the Plan.

1.3 Concept of Guidelines: These Guidelines are intended to provide a starting point for thepreparation of the Plans for specific ships. The broad spectrum of ships for which Plans are requiredmakes it impractical to provide specific guidelines for each ship type. Plan writers are cautioned thatthey must consider in their Plans the many variables that apply to their ships. Some of these variablesinclude: type and size of ship, cargo, route, and shore based management structure. The Guidelines arenot intended to be a compilation of menu items from which the Plan writer can select certain sectionsand produce a workable Plan. For a Plan to be effective and to comply with Regulation 26 of Annex I ofthe Convention, it must be carefully tailored to the particular ship for which it is intended. Properlyused, the Guidelines will ensure that all appropriate issues are considered in developing the Plan.

1.4 Concept of the Plan: The Plan is available to assist personnel in dealing with an unexpecteddischarge of oil. Its primary purpose is to set in motion the necessary actions to stop or minimize thedischarge and to mitigate its effects. Effective planning ensures that the necessary actions are taken in astructured, logical and timely manner.

1.4.1 The Plan must go beyond providing for operational spills. It must include guidance to assist themaster in meeting the demands of a catastrophic discharge, should the ship become involved in one.

1.4.2. The need for a predetermined and properly structured Plan is clear when one considers thepressures and multiple tasks facing personnel confronted with an emergency situation. In the heat ofthe moment, lack of planning will often result in confusion, mistakes and failure to advise key people.Delays will be incurred and time will be wasted; time during which the situation may well worsen. Asa consequence, the ship and its personnel may be exposed to increasing hazards and greaterenvironmental damage may occur.

1.4.3. For the Plan to accomplish its purpose, it must be:

.1 realistic, practical, and easy to use;

.2 understood by ship management personnel, both on board and ashore;

.3 evaluated, reviewed and updated regularly.

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1.4.4. The Plan envisioned by Regulation 26 of Annex I to the Convention is intended to be a simpledocument. Use of summarising flowcharts or checklists to guide the master through the various actionsand decisions required during an incident response is highly encouraged. These can provide a quicklyvisible and logically sequenced form of information which can reduce error and oversight duringemergency situations. Inclusion of extensive background information on the ship, cargo, etc., should beavoided as this is generally available elsewhere. If such information be relevant, it should be kept toannexes where it will not dilute the ability of ship’s personnel to locate operative parts of the Plan.

1.4.5. An example of a summarising flowchart referred to in paragraph 1.4.4 is included in the ExampleFormat for Shipboard Oil Pollution Emergency Plan at Appendix II.

1.4.6. The Plan is likely to be a document used on board by the master and officers of the ship. It musttherefore be available in the working language of the master and officers. A change in the master andofficers which brings about an attendant change in their working language would require the issue ofthe Plan in the new language.

2. MANDATORY PROVISIONS OF REGULATION 26 OF ANNEX I TO THECONVENTION

2.1 This section provides individual guidelines for each of the mandatory provisions of Regulation 26of Annex I to the Convention.

2.2 Regulation 26 of Annex I to the Convention provides that the Plan shall consist at least of:

.1 the procedure to be followed by the master or other persons having charge of the ship toreport an oil pollution incident, as required in Article 8 and Protocol I of the present Convention,based on guidelines developed by the Organization;1

.2 the list of authorities or persons to be contacted in the event of an oil pollution incident;

.3 a detailed description of the action to be taken immediately by persons on board to reduce orcontrol the discharge of oil following the incident; and

.4 the procedures and point of contact on the ship for coordinating shipboard activities withnational and local authorities in combating the pollution.

2.3 The Coastal State Report

Article 8 and Protocol I of the Convention require that the nearest coastal State be notified of actual orprobable discharges. The intent of this requirement is to ensure that coastal States are informed withoutdelay, of any incident giving rise to pollution, or threat of pollution, of the marine environment, as wellas of assistance and salvage measures, so that appropriate action may be taken.

2.3.1. When Required: The Plan should provide clear, concise guidance to enable the master todetermine when a report to the coastal State is required.

2.3.1.1 Actual Discharge: A report to the nearest coastal State is required whenever there is:

.1 a discharge of oil, resulting from damage to the ship or its equipment, or for the purpose ofsecuring the safety of a ship or saving life at sea; or

.2 a discharge during the operation of the ship of oil in excess of the quantity or instantaneousrate permitted under the present Convention.

1 Reference is made to “General principles for ship reporting systems and ship reporting requirements, includingGuidelines for reporting incidents involving dangerous goods, harmful substances and/or marine pollutants”adopted by the Organisation by resolution A.851(20). For ease of reference, see IMO publication “Provisionsconcerning the Reporting of Incidents Involving Harmful Substances under MARPOL 73/78”

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2.3.1.2 Probable discharge: The Plan should give the master guidance to evaluate a situation which,though not involving an actual discharge, would qualify as a probable discharge and thus require areport. In judging whether there is such a probability and whether a report should be made, thefollowing factors, as a minimum, should be taken into account:

.1 the nature of the damage, failure or breakdown of the ship, machinery or equipment;

.2 ship location and proximity to land or other navigational hazards;

.3 weather, tide, current and sea state; and

.4 traffic density.

2.3.1.2.1 It is impracticable to lay down precise definitions of all types of situations involving probabledischarge which would warrant an obligation to report. As a general guideline, the master should makea report in cases of:

.1 damage, failure or breakdown which affects the safety of ships; examples of such situationsare collision, grounding, fire, explosion, structural failure, flooding, cargo shifting; and

.2 failure or breakdown of machinery or equipment which results in impairment of the safety ofnavigation; examples of such incidents are failure or breakdown of steering gear, propulsion,electrical generating system, essential shipborne navigational aids.

2.3.2 Information Required: The Plan must specify, in appropriate detail, the procedure for making theinitial report to the coastal State. The Organization’s Guidelines in resolution A.851 (20) providenecessary detail for the Plan writer. The Plan should include a prepared message form, an example ofwhich is included at Appendix II to these Guidelines. Coastal States are encouraged to take note ofTable 1 of Appendix II and accept this as sufficient initial information. Supplementary or follow-upreports should as far as possible use the same format.

2.4 List of Persons to be Contacted2.4.1. The ship involved in a pollution incident will have to communicate with both coastal State or portcontacts and ship interests contacts.

2.4.2. When compiling contact lists, due account must be taken of the need to provide 24-hour contactinformation and to provide alternates to the designated contact. These details must be routinelyupdated to take account of personnel changes and changes in telephone, telex and telefax numbers.Clear guidance should also be provided regarding the preferred means of communication (telex,telephone, telefax etc.).

2.4.3 Coastal State Contacts 2.4.3.1 In order to expedite response and minimise damage from a pollution incident, it is essential thatappropriate coastal States be notified without delay. This process is begun with the initial reportrequired by Article 8 and Protocol I of the Convention. Guidelines for making this report are providedin paragraph 2.3.

2.4.3.2 The Plan should include as an appendix the list of agencies or officials of administrationsresponsible for receiving and processing reports as developed and updated by the Organisation inconformance with Article 8 of the Convention. In the absence of a listed focal point, or should anyundue delay be experienced in contacting the responsible authority by direct means, the master shouldbe advised to contact the nearest coastal radio station, designated ship movement reporting station orRescue Co-ordination Centre (RCC) by the quickest available means.

2.4.4. Port Contacts2.4.4.1 For ships in port, notification of local agencies will speed response. The variety of trades inwhich ships engage makes it impractical to specify in these Guidelines a definitive approach to listingthese agencies in the Plan. Information on regularly visited ports should be included as an appendix tothe Plan. Where this is not feasible, the Plan should require the master to obtain details concerning localreporting procedures upon arriving in port.

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2.4.5. Ship Interest Contacts2.4.5.1 The Plan should provide details of all parties with an interest in the ship to be advised in theevent of an incident. This information should be provided in the form of a contact list. When compilingsuch lists, it should be remembered that in the event of a serious incident, ship’s personnel will be fullyengaged in saving life and taking steps to control and minimise the effects of the casualty. They shouldtherefore not be hampered by having onerous communications imposed on them.

2.4.5.2 Procedures will vary between companies but it is important that the Plan clearly specifies whowill be responsible for informing the various interested parties such as cargo owners, insurers andsalvage interests. It is also essential that both the ship’s Plan and it’s company’s shoreside Plan are co-ordinated to guarantee that all parties having an interest are advised and that duplication of reports isavoided.

2.5 Steps to Control Discharge2.5.1 Ship personnel will almost always be in the best position to take quick action to mitigate orcontrol the discharge of oil from their ship. The Plan should provide the master with clear guidance onhow to accomplish this mitigation for a variety of situations. The Plan should not only outline action tobe taken, but it should also identify who on board is responsible so that confusion during the emergencycan be avoided.

2.5.2 This section of the Plan will vary widely from ship to ship. Differences in ship type,construction, cargo, equipment, manning and even route may result in shifting emphasis being placedon various aspects of this section. As a minimum, the Plan should provide the master with guidance toaddress the following:

.1 Operational spills: The Plan should outline the procedures for removal of oil spilled andcontained on deck. This may be through the use of on-board resources or by hiring a clean-upcompany. In either case the Plan should provide guidance to ensure proper disposal of removedoil and clean-up materials.

.1.1 Pipe leakage: The Plan should provide specific guidance for dealing with pipe leakage.

.1.2 Tank overflow: Procedures for dealing with tank overflows should be included.Alternatives such as lowering cargo or bunkers back to empty or slack tanks or readying pumpsto transfer the excess ashore should be outlined.

.1.3 Hull leakage: The Plan should provide guidance for responding to spillage due tosuspected hull leakage. This may involve guidance on measures to be taken to reduce the headof cargo in the tank involved either by internal transfer or discharge ashore. Procedures tohandle situations where it is not possible to identify the specific tank from which leakage isoccurring should also be provided. Procedures for dealing with suspected hull fractures shouldbe included and they should carry appropriate cautions regarding attention to the effectcorrective actions may have on hull stress and stability.

.2 Spills resulting from casualties: Each of the casualties listed below should be treated in thePlan as a separate section comprised of various checklists or other means which will ensure thatthe master considers all appropriate factors when addressing the specific casualty. Thesechecklists must be tailored to the specific ship. In addition to the checklists, specific personnelassignments for anticipated tasks must be identified. Reference to existing fire control plans andmuster lists is sufficient to identify personnel responsibilities:

.2.1 grounding;

.2.2 fire/explosion

.2.3 collision;

.2.4 hull failure;

.2.5 excessive list.

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2.5.3 In addition to the checklists and personnel duty assignments mentioned in paragraph 2.5.2, thePlan should provide the master with guidance concerning priority actions, stability and stressconsiderations, and lightening.

2.5.3.1 Priority actions: This section provides some general considerations that apply to a wide range ofcasualties. The Plan should provide ship-specific guidance to the master concerning these broad topics.

.1 In responding to a casualty, the master’s priority will be to ensure the safety of personneland the ship and to take action to prevent escalation of the incident. In casualties involvingspills, immediate consideration should be given to measures aimed at preventing fire andexplosion, such as altering course so that the ship is upwind of the slick, shutting down non-essential air intakes, etc. If the ship is aground, and cannot therefore manoeuvre, all possiblesources of ignition should be eliminated and action taken to prevent flammable vapoursentering accommodation and engine-room spaces. When it is possible to manoeuvre, themaster, in conjunction with the appropriate shore authorities, may consider moving his ship toa more suitable location in order, for example, to facilitate emergency repair work or lighteningoperations, or to reduce the threat posed to any particularly sensitive shoreline areas. Suchmanoeuvering may be subject to coastal State jurisdiction.

.2 Prior to considering remedial action, the master will need to obtain detailed information onthe damage sustained by his ship. A visual inspection should be carried out and all cargo tanks,bunker tanks, and other compartments sounded. Due regard should be paid to theindiscriminate opening of ullage plugs or sighting ports, especially when the ship is aground, asloss of buoyancy could result.

.3 Having assessed the damage sustained by the ship, the master will be in a position todecide what action should be taken to prevent or minimise further spillage. When bottomdamage is sustained, hydrostatic balance will be achieved fairly rapidly, especially if thedamage is severe, in which case the time available for preventative action will often be limited.When significant side damage is sustained in the way of oil tanks, cargo or bunkers will bereleased fairly rapidly until hydrostatic balance is achieved and the rate of release will thenreduce and be governed by the rate at which oil is displaced by water flowing in under the oil.When the damage is fairly limited and restricted, for example, to one or two compartments,consideration may be given to transferring oil internally from damaged to intact tanks.

2.5.3.2 Stability and stress considerations: Great care in casualty response must be taken to considerstability and stress when taking actions to mitigate the spillage of oil or to free the ship if aground. ThePlan should provide the master with detailed guidance to ensure that these aspects are properlyconsidered. Nothing in this section shall be construed as creating a requirement for damage stabilityplans or calculations beyond those required by relevant international conventions.

.1 Internal transfers should be undertaken only with a full appreciation of the likely impact onthe ship’s overall stress and stability. When the damage sustained is extensive, the impact ofinternal transfers on stress and stability may be impossible for the ship to assess. Contact mayhave to be made with the owner or operator or other entity in order that information can beprovided so that damage stability and damaged longitudinal strength assessments may bemade. These could be made within the head office technical departments. In other cases,classification societies or independent organisations may need to be contacted. The Plan shouldclearly indicate who the master should contact in order to gain access to these facilities.

2. Where appropriate, the Plan should provide a list of information required for makingdamage stability and damaged longitudinal strength assessments.

2.5.3.3 Lightening: Should the ship sustain extensive structural damage, it may be necessary to transferall or part of the cargo to another ship. The Plan should provide guidance on procedures to be followedfor ship-to-ship transfer of cargo. Reference may be made in the plan to existing company guides. A copyof such company procedures for ship-to-ship transfer operations should be kept with the Plan. The Planshould address the need for co-ordinating this activity with the coastal State, as such operation may besubject to its jurisdiction.

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2.5.4 In order to have the necessary information available to respond to the situations referred to inparagraph 2.5.2, certain plans, drawings and ship-specific details such as a layout of a generalarrangement plan, a tank plan, etc., should be appended. The Plan should show where current cargo,bunker and ballast information, including quantities and specifications, are available.

2.6 National and Local Co-ordinationQuick, efficient co-ordination between the ship and coastal State or other involved parties becomes vitalin mitigating the effects of a pollution incident. The Plan should address the need to contact the coastalState for authorisation prior to undertaking mitigating actions.

2.6.1 The identities and roles of various national and local authorities involved vary widely fromState to State and even from port to port. Approaches to responsibility for discharge response also vary.Some coastal States have agencies that take charge of response immediately and subsequently bill theowner for the cost. In other coastal States, responsibility for initiating response is placed on theshipowner. In the case of the latter the Plan will require greater detail and guidance to assist the masterwith organising this response.

3. NON-MANDATORY PROVISIONS3.1 In addition to the provisions required by Regulation 26 of Annex I of the Convention, localrequirements, insurance company, or owner/operator policies, etc., may dictate that other guidance beprovided in the Plan. These topics may include: provision of diagrams and drawings; ship carriedresponse equipment; public affairs; record-keeping; and reference materials.

3.2 Plans and DiagramsIn addition to the plans required by section 2.5.4 above, other details concerning the ship’s design andconstruction may be appended to the Plan or their location identified.

3.3 Response EquipmentSome ships may carry on board equipment to assist in pollution response. The type and quantity of thisequipment may vary widely. The Plan should indicate an inventory of such equipment, if carried. Itshould also provide directions for safe use and guidelines to assist the master in determining when suchuse is warranted. Care should be exercised to ensure that the use of such equipment by the crew ispractical and consistent with safety considerations. When such equipment is carried, the Plan shouldestablish personnel responsibilities for its deployment, oversight, and maintenance. In order to ensuresafe and effective use of such equipment, the Plan should also provide for crew training in the use of it.The Plan should include a provision that no chemical agent should be used for response to pollution onthe sea without authorisation of the appropriate coastal State and that such authorisation should also berequested, when required, for use of containment or recovery equipment.

3.4 Public AffairsThe owners may want to include in the plan guidance for the master in dealing with the distribution ofinformation to the news media. Such guidance should be fashioned to reduce the burden on ship’spersonnel already busy with the emergency at hand.

3.5 Record-keepingAs with any other incident that will eventually involve liability, compensation and reimbursementissues, the owner may want to include in his Plan guidance for the keeping of appropriate records of thepollution incident. Apart from detailing all actions taken on board, records might includecommunications with outside authorities, owners, and other parties, as well as a brief summary ofdecisions and information passed and received. Guidance on collecting of samples of spilled oil as wellas that carried on board may also be provided.

3.6 Plan ReviewRegular review of the Plan by the owner, operator or master is recommended to ensure that the specificinformation contained therein is current. A feedback system should be employed which will allow quickcapture of changing information and incorporation of it into the Plan. This feedback system shouldincorporate the following two means:

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.1 Periodic Review: the Plan should be reviewed by the owner or operator at least yearly tocapture changes in local law or policy, contact names and numbers, ship characteristics, orcompany policy;

.2 Event Review: after any use of the Plan in response to an incident, its effectiveness should beevaluated by the owner or operator and modifications made accordingly.

3.7 Plan TestingThe Plan will be of little value if it is not made familiar to the personnel who will use it. Regularexercises will ensure that the Plan functions as expected and that the contacts and the communicationsspecified are accurate. Such exercises may be held in conjunction with other shipboard exercises andappropriately logged. Where ships carry response equipment, hands on experience with it by crewmembers will greatly enhance safety and effectiveness in an emergency situation. Procedures fortraining and exercise may be defined.

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APPENDIX I

The following publications are suggested to provide additional assistance in the preparation of Plans:

Manual on Oil Pollution, Section II, Contingency PlanningInternational Maritime Organisation (IMO)IMO-560E; IMO-561F; IMO-562SAvailable in English, French, and Spanish from IMO, Publications Section, 4 Albert Embankment, London, SE1 7SR.

Response to Marine Oil SpillsInternational Tanker Owners Pollution Federation (ITOPF)ISBN 0 948691 51 4Available in English, French, and Spanish from Witherby & Co. Ltd.,32-36 Aylesbury Street, London EC1R 0ET.

Provisions Concerning the Reporting of Incidents Involving Harmful Substances under MARPOL 73/78IMO-516E; IMO-516F; IMO-516SAvailable in English, French, and Spanish from IMO, Publications Section,

International Safety Guide for Oil Tankers and TerminalsISBN 0 948691 XAvailable from Witherby & Co. Ltd., London

Peril at Sea and Salvage - A Guide for MastersInternational Chamber of Shipping and Oil Companies International Marine Forum(ICS/OCIMF)ISBN 1 85609 081 7; ISBN 1 85609 095 7Available from Witherby & Co. Ltd., London

Ship to Ship Transfer Guide (Petroleum)ICS/OCIMFISBN 1 85609 097 3Available from Witherby & Co. Ltd, London

Guidelines for the Preparation of Shipboard Oil Spill Contingency PlansOCIMF/ITOPFISBN 1 85609 016 7Available from Witherby & Co. Ltd., London

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APPENDIX II

EXAMPLE FORMAT FOR SHIPBOARD OIL POLLUTION EMERGENCYPLAN

All shipboard oil pollution emergency plans should contain the following introductory text:

INTRODUCTION1. This Plan is written in accordance with the requirements of regulation 26 of Annex I of theInternational Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships 1973 as modified by theProtocol of 1978 relating thereto.

2. The purpose of the Plan is to provide guidance to the master and officers on board the shipwith respect to the steps to be taken when a pollution incident has occurred or is likely to occur.

3. The Plan contains all information and operational instructions required by the Guidelines.The appendices contain names, telephone, telex numbers, etc., of all contacts referenced in thePlan, as well as other reference material.

4. This Plan has been approved by the Administration and, except as provided below, noalteration or revision shall be made to any part of it without the prior approval of theAdministration.

5. Changes to Section 5 and the appendices will not be required to be approved by theAdministration. The appendices should be maintained up to date by the owners, operators andmanagers.

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INDEX OF SECTIONS

Section Title1 Preamble2 Reporting requirements

2.1 When to report2.2 Information required2.3 Who to contact

3 Steps to control discharge3.1 Operational spills3.2 Spills resulting from casualties

4 National and local co-ordination5 Additional information (non-mandatory)Appendices

SECTION 1: PREAMBLE

1 This section should contain an explanation of the purpose and use of the Plan and indicate how theshipboard Plan relates to other shore-based plans (refer to section 1.4 of the Guidelines).

SECTION 2: REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

2. This section should ensure that the reporting requirements of Regulation 26 of Annex I ofMARPOL 73/78 are complied with and should include information relating to the following:

2.1 When to reportThis section should contain guidance on when to report actual and/or probable discharges( see section 2.3.1 of the Guidelines).

2.2 Information requiredThis section should contain details of the information required for the initial report andsupplementary or follow-up reports. Reference should be made to resolution A.851 (20)(see section 2.3.2 of the Guidelines). This section should include an example of reportingformat as illustrated in Table 1.

Table 1

SHIPBOARD OIL POLLUTION EMERGENCY PLANSAMPLE FORMAT FOR INITIAL NOTIFICATION

AA (SHIP NAME, CALL SIGN, FLAG)

BB (DATE AND TIME OF EVENT, UTC)

|___|___|___|___|___|___|D D H H M M

CC (POSITIONS, LAT, LONG) OR DD (BEARING, DISTANCE FROM LANDMARK)

|___|___|___|___|___|___| |___|___|___| |_________|d d m m

N Sd d d N miles

|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|d d d m m

E W

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EE (COURSE) FF (SPEED, KNOTS)|___|___|___| |___|___|___|

d d d kn kn 1/10

LL (INTENDED TRACK)

MM (RADIO STATIONS(S) GUARDED)

NN (DATE AND TIME OF NEXT REPORT, UTC)

|___|___|___|___|___|___|D D H H M M

PP (TYPE AND QUANTITY OF CARGO/BUNKERS ON BOARD)

QQ (BRIEF DETAILS OF DEFECTS/DEFICIENCIES/DAMAGE)

RR (BRIEF DETAILS OF POLLUTION, INCLUDING ESTIMATE OF QUANTITY LOST)

SS (BRIEF DETAILS OF WEATHER AND SEA CONDITIONS

DIRECTION |___|___|___| DIRECTION |___|___|___|

WIND SWELL

SPEED (Beaufont) HEIGHT (m)

TT (CONTACT DETAILS OF SHIP’S OWNER/OPERATOR/AGENT)

UU (SHIP SIZE AND TYPE)

LENGTH: (m) BREADTH: (m) DRAUGHT: (m) TYPE:

XX (ADDITIONAL INFORMATION)BRIEF DETAILS OF INCIDENT:NEED FOR OUTSIDE ASSISTANCE:ACTIONS BEING TAKEN:NUMBER OF CREW AND DETAILS OF ANY INJURIES:DETAILS OF P&I CLUB AND LOCAL CORRESPONDENT:OTHERS:

Footnote: The alphabetical reference letters in the above format are from “General principles for ship reportingsystems and ship reporting requirements, including guidelines for reporting incidents involving dangerous goods,harmful substances and/or marine pollutants” adopted by the International Maritime Organisation by resolutionA.851(20). The letters do not follow the complete alphabetical sequence as certain letters are used to designateinformation required for other standard reporting formats, e.g. those used to transmit route information.

Iain Macneil
Iain Macneil
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2.3 Who to contactThis section should refer the Plan user to appendices separately listing contacts for thefollowing:

- coastal State contacts (see section 2.4.2. of the Guidelines);

- port contacts (see section 2.4.3. of the Guidelines); and

- ship interest contacts (see section 2.4.4. of the Guidelines).

Examples of how this information could be depicted are included in the appendices.

SECTION 3: STEPS TO CONTROL DISCHARGE

3. This section should ensure that the provisions of Regulation 26 of Annex I of MARPOL 73/78regarding steps to control discharge are complied with and should include information relating to thefollowing:

3.1 Operational SpillsThis section should contain ship-specific information concerning actions to be taken inresponse to operational spills (see section 2.5.2.1). As a minimum, procedures to address spillsresulting from pipe leakage, tank overflow and hull leakage should be included.

3.2 Spills Resulting from CasualtiesThis section should contain ship-specific and company-specific information concerning actionsto be taken to address, as a minimum, the following casualty scenarios: grounding,fire/explosion, collision, hull failure, excessive list (see section 2.5.2.2 of the Guidelines). Thissection should also provide guidance on priority actions to be taken (see section 2.5 of theGuidelines). Consideration should be given to providing some of the necessary information inthe form of checklists/flowcharts where considered applicable. An example of presentation ofinformation relating to response activities and personnel responsibilities is given in Table 2below:

Operational spill type Action to be taken Designated Crew Member(State rank/rating only)

Pipe Leakage Stop product flow Chief Officer

Where appropriate this section should provide a list of information required for making damagestability and damage longitudinal strength assessments.

SECTION 4: NATIONAL AND LOCAL CO-ORDINATION

4. This section should contain information to assist the master in initiating action by coastal State, localgovernment or other involved parties (see section 2.6 of the Guidelines). Dependent on the ship’s trade,this Section should include information and guidance to assist the master with organising a response tothe incident should such response not be organised by shore authorities. Detailed information forspecific areas may be included as appendices to the Plan.

SECTION 5: ADDITIONAL INFORMATION (NON-MANDATORY)

5. This section should contain additional information included in the Plan at the owners’ discretion.This information, although not required by Regulation 26 of MARPOL 73/78, Annex I, may be required

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by local authorities in ports visited by the vessel, or it may be included to provide additional assistanceto the ship’s master when responding to an emergency situation. This information may include (seesection 3 of the Guidelines):

- plan review procedures;- training and drill procedures;- record-keeping procedures;- public affairs policy of the owners/operators;- etc.

(See section 3 of the Guidelines.)

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APPENDICES

The following appendices should be attached to the Plan, as a minimum:

- List of coastal State contacts (see section 2.4.3 of the Guidelines).- List of port contacts as appropriate (see section 2.4.4 of the Guidelines).- List of ship interest contacts (see section 2.4.5 of the Guidelines).- Ship’s plans and drawings (see section 2.5.4 of the Guidelines).

Additionally the following information could be attached:

- Summary flowchart (consideration should be given to adapting the flowchart for bulkheaddisplay on board).

- Information relevant to roles and responsibilities of national and local authorities.- Other reference material.

SHIP INTEREST CONTACTS

The following table provides an example as to how ship interest contact information could be presented:

(a) Owner/operator contacts

Name of institution/ Address Means of contact Remarksperson to be contacted

Owner/operator Phone:..............................Fax:...................................Telex:................................INMARSAT -Telex:................................INMARSAT -Fax.....................................

(b) Other ship interest contacts

Name of institution/ Address Means of contact Remarksperson to be contacted

Charterer

Local agent

P&I Club and correspondents

SHIPBOARD OIL POLLUTION EMERGENCY PLAN - SUMMARY FLOWCHART

This flow diagram is an outline of the course of action that shipboard personnel should follow inresponding to an oil pollution emergency based on the guidelines published by the Organisation. Thisdiagram is not exhaustive and should not be used as a sole reference in response. Consideration shouldbe given for inclusion of specific references to the Plan. The steps are designed to assist ship personnelin actions to stop or minimise the discharge of oil and mitigate its effects. These steps fall into two maincategories - reporting and action.

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ACTIONS TO CONTROL DISCHARGE

Measurements to minimize the escape of oil threat to the marine environment

NAVIGATIONAL SEAMANSHIPMEASURES MEASURES

*Alter course/position *Safety assessmentand/or speed and precaution*Change of list and/or *Advice on prioritytrim countermeasures/*Anchoring preventative measures*Setting aground *Damage stability &*Initiate towage stress considerations*Assess safe Haven *Ballasting/requirements deballasting*Weather/tide/swell *Internal cargoforecasting transfer operations*Slick monitoring *Emergency ship to*Record of events and ship transfer of cargocommunications taken and/or bunker

*Set up shipboardresponse for:-leak sealing-Fire fighting-Handling ofshipboard responseequipment (if avail)-etc.

STEPS TO INITIATE EXTERNAL RESPONSE

* Refer to coastal Port State listings for localassistance* Refer to ship interest contact list* External clean-up resources required

DISCHARGE OF OILProbable or Actual

ASSESSMENT OF THE NATURE OF INCIDENT

ACTIONS REQUIRED*Alert crew members*Identify spill source

*Spill assessment

REPORTING

By Master and/or designated crew member

WHEN TO REPORTAll probable and actual spills

HOW TO REPORT*By quickest means to coastal radio station*Designated ship movement reporting station or*Rescue Co-ordination Centre (at sea)*By quickest available means to localauthorities

WHO TO CONTACT*Nearest coastal State*Harbour and terminal operators (in port)*Shipowner’s manager/P&I insurer*Head charterer; cargo owner*Refer to contact lists

WHAT TO REPORT*Initial report (Res.851(20))*Follow-up reports*Characteristics of oil spilled*Cargo/ballast/bunker dispositions*Weather and sea conditions*Slick movement*Assistance required- salvage- Lightening capacity- Mechanical equipment- External strike team- Chemical dispersant/degreasant

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ANNEX 2

IMO RESOLUTION A 851(20)

GENERAL PRINCIPLES FOR SHIP REPORTING SYSTEMS AND SHIP REPORTINGREQUIREMENTS, INCLUDING GUIDELINES FOR REPORTING INCIDENTS INVOLVING

DANGEROUS GOODS, HARMFUL SUBSTANCES AND/OR MARINE POLLUTANTS

1. GENERAL PRINCIPLES1.1 Ship reporting systems and reporting requirements are used to provide, gather or exchangeinformation through radio reports. The information is used to provide data for many purposesincluding search and rescue, vessel traffic services, weather forecasting and prevention of marinepollution. Ship reporting systems and reporting requirements should, as far as practicable, comply withthe following principles:

.1 reports should contain only information essential to achieve the objectives of the system;

.2 reports should be simple and use the standard international ship reporting format andprocedures; where language difficulties may exist, the languages used should include English,using where possible the Standard Marine Navigational Vocabulary, or alternatively theInternational Code of Signals. The standard reporting format and procedures to be used aregiven in the appendix to this annex;

.3 the number of reports should be kept to a minimum;

.4 no charge should be made for communication of reports;

.5 safety or pollution-related reports should be made without delay; however, the time andplace of making non-urgent reports should be sufficiently flexible to avoid interference withessential navigational duties;

.6 information obtained from the system should be made available to other systems whenrequired for distress, safety and pollution purposes;

.7 basic information (ship’s particulars, on-board facilities and equipment, etc.) should bereported once, be retained in the system and be updated by the ship when changes occur in thebasic information reported;

.8 the purpose of the system should be clearly defined;

.9 Governments establishing a ship reporting system should notify mariners of full details ofthe requirements to be met and procedures to be followed. Details of types of ships and areas ofapplicability, of times and geographical positions for submitting reports, of shore establishmentsresponsible for operation of the system and of the services provided should be clearly specified.Chartlets depicting boundaries of the system and providing other necessary information shouldbe made available to mariners;

.10 the establishment and operation of a ship reporting system should take into account:

.10.1 international as well as national responsibilities and requirements;

.10.2 the cost to ship operators and responsible authorities;

.10.3 navigational hazards;

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.10.4 existing and proposed aids to safety; and

.10.5 the need for early and continuing consultation with interested parties including a sufficientperiod to allow for trial, familiarisation and assessment to ensure satisfactory operation and toallow necessary changes to be made to the system;

.11 Governments should ensure that shore establishments responsible for operation of thesystem are manned by properly trained persons;

.12 Governments should consider the interrelationship between ship reporting systems andother systems;

.13 ship reporting systems should preferably use a single operating radio frequency; whereadditional frequencies are necessary, the number of frequencies should be restricted to theminimum required for the effective operation of the system;

.14 information provided by the system to ships should be restricted to that necessary for theproper operation of the system and for safety;

.15 ship reporting systems and requirements should provide for special reports from shipsconcerning defects or deficiencies with respect to their hull, machinery, equipment or manning, orconcerning other limitations which could adversely affect navigation and for special reportsconcerning incidents of actual or probable marine pollution;

.16 Governments should issue instructions to their shore establishments responsible for theoperation of ship reporting systems to ensure that any reports involving pollution, actual orprobable, are relayed without delay to the officer or agency nominated to receive and processsuch reports, and to ensure that such an officer or agency relays these reports without delay to theflag State of the ship involved and to any other State which may be affected;

.17 States which are effected or likely to be affected by pollution incidents and may requireinformation relevant to the incident should take into account the circumstances in which themaster is placed, and should endeavor to limit their requests for additional information; and

.18 the appendix to this annex does not apply to danger messages referred to under regulationV/2 of the 1974 SOLAS Convention, as amended. The present practice of transmitting suchmessages should remain unchanged.

2. GUIDELINES FOR REPORTING INCIDENTS INVOLVING DANGEROUSGOODS2.1 The intent of these Guidelines and those contained in the appendix is to enable coastal States andother interested parties to be informed without delay when any incident occurs involving the loss, orlikely loss, overboard of packaged dangerous goods into the sea.

2.2 Reports should be transmitted to the nearest coastal State. When the ship is within or near anarea for which a ship reporting system has been established, reports should be transmitted to thedesignated shore station of that system.

3. GUIDELINES FOR REPORTING INCIDENTS INVOLVING HARMFUL SUB-STANCES AND/OR MARINE POLLUTANTS3.1 The intent of these Guidelines and those contained in the appendix is to enable coastal States andother interested parties to be informed without delay of any incident giving rise to pollution, or threat ofpollution, of the marine environment, as well as of assistance and salvage measures, so that appropriateaction may be taken.

3.2 In accordance with article V(1) of Protocol I of MARPOL 73/78, a report shall be made to thenearest coastal State.

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3. Whenever a ship is engaged in or requested to engage in an operation to render assistance to orundertake salvage of a ship involved in an incident referred to in sub-paragraph 1(a) or (b) of article II ofProtocol I of MARPOL 73/78, as amended, the master of the former ship should report, without delay,the particulars of the action undertaken or planned. The coastal States should also be kept informed ofdevelopments.

3.4 The probability of a discharge resulting from damage to the ship or its equipment is a reason formaking a report.

APPENDIX

1. PROCEDURESReports should be sent as follows:

Sailing plan (SP) - Before or as near as possible to the time of departure from a port withina system or when entering the area covered by a system.

Position report (PR) - When necessary to ensure effective operation of the system.

Deviation report (DR) - When the ship’s position varies significantly from the position that wouldhave been predicted from previous reports, when changing the reportedroute, or as decided by the master.

Final report (FR) - On arrival at destination and when leaving the area covered by a system.

Dangerous goodsreport (DG) - When an incident takes place involving the loss or likely loss overboard of

packaged dangerous goods, including those in freight containers, portabletanks, road and rail vehicles and shipborne barges, into the sea.

Harmful substancesreport (HS) - When an incident takes place involving the discharge or probable

discharge of oil (Annex I of MARPOL 73/78) or noxious liquid substancesin bulk (Annex II of MARPOL 73/78).

Marine pollutantsreport (MP) - In the case of loss or likely loss overboard of harmful substances in

packaged form including those in freight containers, portable tanks, roadand rail vehicles and shipborne barges, identified in the InternationalMaritime Dangerous Goods Code as marine pollutants (Annex III ofMARPOL 73/78).

Any other report - Any other report should be made in accordance with the systemprocedures as notified in accordance with paragraph 9 of the GeneralPrinciples.

2. STANDARD REPORTING FORMAT AND PROCEDURES2.1 Sections of the ship reporting format which are inappropriate should be omitted from the report.

2.2 Where language difficulties may exist, the languages used should include English, using wherepossible the Standard Marine Navigational Vocabulary. Alternatively, the International Code of Signalsmay be used to send detailed information. When the International Code is used, the appropriateindicator should be inserted in the text, after the alphabetical index.

2.3 For route information , latitude and longitude should be given for each turn point, expressed as inC below, together with type of intended track between these points, for example “RL” (rhumb line),“GC” (great circle) or “coastal”, or, in the case of coastal sailing, the estimated date and time of passingsignificant points expressed by a 6-digit group as in B below.

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Telegraphy

Name of system (egAMVER/AUSREP/MAREP/ECAREG/JASREP)

SPPRDRFRDGHS

MPGive in full

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

Telephone(alternative)

Name of system (egAMVER/AUSREP/MAREP/ECAREG/JASREP)State in full

Ship (alpha)

Time(bravo)

Position(charlie)

Position(delta)

Course(echo)

Speed(foxtrot)

Departed(golf)

Entry(hotel)

Function

System identifier

Type of report

Ship

Date and time of event

Position

Position

True course

Speed in knots andtenths of knots

Port of departure

Date, time and point ofentry into system

Information required

Ship reporting system ornearest appropiate coastradio station

Type of report

Sailing planPosition reportDeviation reportFinal reportDangerous goods reportH a r m f u l s u b s t a n c e sreportMarine pollutants reportAny other report

Name, call sign or shipstation identity, and flag

A 6-digit group givingday of month (first twod i g i t s ) , h o u r s a n dminutes (last four digits).If other than UTC statetime zone used

A 4-digit group givinglatitude in degrees andminutes suffixed with N(north) or S(south) and a5-digit group givinglongitude in degrees andminutes suffixed with E(east) or W (west); or

True bearing (first threedigits) and distance (statedistance) in nauticalmiles from a clearlyi d e n t i f i e d l a n d m a r k(state landmark)

A 3-digit group

A 3-digit group

Name of last port of call

Entry time expressed asin (B) and entry positionexpressed as in (C) or (D)

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I

J

K

L

M

N

O

P

Q

R

S

T

Destination ETA(India)

Pilot(juliet)

Exit(kilo)

Route(lima)

Radiocommunications(mike)

Next report(november)

Draught(oscar)

Cargo(papa)

Defect, damage,deficiency, limitations(quebec)

Pollution/dangerousgoods lost overboard(romeo)

Weather(sierra)

Agent(Tango)

Destination and expectedtime of arrival

Pilot

Date , time and point ofexit from system orarrival at the ship’sdestination

Route information

Radiocommunications

Time of next report

Maximum presentstatic draught in metres

Cargo on board

Defect/ damage/deficiencies/otherlimitations

Description of pollutionor dangerous goods lostoverboard

Weather conditions

Ship’s representativeand/or owner

Name of port and dateand time group expressedas in (B)

State whether a deep-seaor local pilot is on board

Exit time expressed as in(B) and exit positionexpressed as in (C) or (D)

Intended track

State in full names ofstations/frequenciesguarded

Date time groupexpressed as in (B)

4-digit group givingmetres and centimetres

Cargo and brief details ofany dangerous cargoes asw e l l a s h a r m f u lsubstances and gases thatcould endanger personsor the environment (seed e t a i l e d r e p o r t i n grequirements)

Brief details of defects,damage, deficiencies orother limitations (seed e t a i l e d r e p o r t i n grequirements)

Brief details of type ofpollution (oil, chemicals,etc.) or dangerous goodslost overboard; positionexpressed as in (C) or (D)(See detailed reportingrequirements)

Brief details of weathera n d s e a c o n d i t i o n sprevailing

Details of name andparticulars of ship’srepresentative or owneror both for provision ofinformation (See detailedreporting requirements)

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3. GUIDELINES FOR DETAILED REPORTING REQUIREMENTS3.1 Dangerous Goods Reports (DG)3.1.1 Primary reports should contain items, A, B, C (or D), M, Q, R, S, T, U, X of the standard reportingformat; details for R should be as follows:

R 1. Correct technical name or names of goods.2. UN number or numbers.3. IMO hazard class or classes.4. Names of manufacturers of goods when known, or consignee or consignor.5. Types of packages, including identification marks. Specify whether portable tank ortank vehicle, or whether vehicle or freight container or other cargo transport unitcontaining packages. Include official registration marks and numbers assigned to the unit.6. An estimate of the quantity and likely condition of the goods.7. Whether lost goods floated or sank.8. Whether loss is continuing.9. Cause of loss.

3.1.2 If the condition of the ship is such that there is danger of further loss of packaged dangerousgoods into the sea, items P and Q of the standard reporting format should be reported; details for Pshould be as follows:

P 1. Correct technical name or names of goods.2. UN number or numbers.3. IMO hazard class or classes.4. Names of manufacturers of goods when known, or consignee or consignor.5. Types of packages, including identification marks. Specify whether portable tank ortank vehicle, or whether vehicle or freight container or other cargo transport unitcontaining packages. Include official registration marks and numbers assigned to the unit.6. An estimate of the quantity and likely condition of the goods.

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U

V

W

X

Y

Z

Size and type

Medic(victor)

Persons(whiskey)

Remarks(x-rays)

Relay(yankee)

End of report(zulu)

Ship size and type

Medical Personnel

Total number of personson board

Miscellaneous

Request to relay toanother system eg.AMVER, AUSREP,JASREP, MAREP, etc

End of report

Details of length, breadth,tonnage, and type, etc., asrequired

D o c t o r , p h y s i c i a n ’ sassistant, nurse, personnelwithout medical training

State number

Any other information-including, as appropriate,brief details of incidenta n d o f o t h e r s h i p si n v o l v e d e i t h e r i nincident, assistance orsalvage (see detai ledreporting requirements)

Content of report

No further informationrequired

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3.1.3 Particulars not immediately available should be interested in a supplementary message ormessages.

3.2 Harmful Substances Reports (HS)3.2.1 In the case of actual discharge, primary HS reports should contain items A, B, C (or D), E, F, L, M,N, Q, R, S, T, U, X of the standard reporting format. In the case of probable discharge (see 3.4), item Pshould also be included. Details for P, Q, R, T and X should be as follows:

P 1. Type of oil or the correct technical name of the noxious liquid substances on board.2. UN number or numbers.3. Pollution category (A, B, C or D), for noxious liquid substances.4. Names of manufacturers of substances, if appropriate, when known, or consignee orconsignor.5. Quantity.

Q 1. Condition of the ship as relevant.2. Ability to transfer cargo/ballast/fuel.

R 1. Type of oil or the correct technical name of the noxious liquid discharged into the sea.2. UN number or numbers.3. Pollution category (A, B, C or D), for noxious liquid substances.4. Names of manufacturers of substances, if appropriate, when known, or consignee orconsignor.5. An estimate of the quantity of the substances.6. Whether lost substances floated or sank.7. Whether loss is continuing.8. Cause of loss.9. Estimate of the movement of the discharge or lost substances, giving current conditionsif known.10. Estimate of the surface area of the spill if possible.

T 1. Name, address, telex and telephone number of the ship’s owner and representative(charterer, manager or operator of the ship or their agent).

X 1. Action being taken with regard to the discharge and the movement of the ship.2. Assistance or salvage efforts which have been requested or which have been providedby others.3. The master of an assisting or salvaging ship should report the particulars of the actionundertaken or planned.

3.2.2 After the transmission of the information referred to above in the initial report, as much aspossible of the information essential for the protection of the marine environment as is appropriate tothe incident should be reported in a supplementary report as soon as possible. That information shouldinclude items P, Q, R, S and X.

3.2.3 The master of any ship engaged in or requested to engage in an operation to render assistance orundertake salvage should report, as far as practicable, items A, B, C (or D), E, F, L, M, N, P, Q, R, S, T, U,X of the standard reporting format. The master should also keep the coastal State informed ofdevelopments.

3.3 Marine Pollutants Reports (MP)3.3.1 In the case of actual discharge, primary MP reports should contain items A, B, C (or D), M, Q, R,S, T, U, X of the standard reporting format. In the case of probable discharge (see 3.4), item P shouldalso be included. Details for P, Q, R, T and X should be as follows:

P 1. Correct technical name or names of goods.2. UN number or numbers.3. IMO hazard class or classes.4. Names of manufacturers of goods when known, or consignee or consignor.5. Types of packages including identification marks. Specify whether portable tank ortank vehicle, or whether vehicle or freight container or other cargo transport unitcontaining packages. Include official registration marks and numbers assigned to the unit.6. An estimate of the quantity and likely condition of the goods.

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Q 1. Condition of the ship as relevant.2. Ability to transfer cargo/ballast/fuel.

R 1. Correct technical name or names of goods.2. UN number or numbers.3. IMO hazard class or classes.4. Names of manufacturers of goods when known, or consignee or consignor.5. Types of packages including identification marks. Specify whether portable tank ortank vehicle, or whether vehicle or freight container or other cargo transport unitcontaining packages. Include official registration marks and numbers assigned to the unit.6. An estimate of the quantity and likely condition of the goods.7. Whether lost goods floated or sank.8. Whether loss is continuing.9. Cause of loss.

T 1. Name, address, telex and telephone number of the ship’s owner and representative(charterer, manager or operator of the ship or their agent).

X 1. Action being taken with regard to the discharge and movement of the ship.2. Assistance or salvage efforts which have been requested or which have been providedby others.3. The master of an assisting or salvaging ship should report the particulars of the actionundertaken or planned.

3.3.2 After the transmission of the information referred to above in the initial report, as much aspossible of the information essential for the protection of the marine environment as is appropriate tothe incident should be reported. That information should include items P, Q, R, S and X.

3.3.3 The master of any ship engaged in or requested to engage in an operation to render assistance orundertake salvage should report, as far as practicable, items A, B, C (or D), M, P, Q, R, S, T, U, X of thestandard reporting format. The master should also keep the coastal State informed of developments.

3.4 Probability of discharge3.4.1. The probability of a discharge resulting from damage to the ship or its equipment is a reason formaking a report. In judging whether there is such a probability and whether the report should be made,the following factors, among others, should be taken into account:

.1 the nature of the damage, failure or breakdown of the ship, machinery or equipment; and

.2 sea and wind state and also traffic density in the area at the time and place of the incident.

3.4.2 It is recognised that it would be impracticable to lay down precise definitions of all types ofincidents involving probable discharge which would warrant an obligation to report. Nevertheless, as ageneral guideline the master of the ship should make reports in cases of:

.1 damage, failure or breakdown which affects the safety of ships; examples of such incidents arecollision, grounding, fire, explosion, structural failure, flooding, cargo shifting; and

.2 failure or breakdown of machinery or equipment which results in impairment of the safety ofnavigation; examples of such incidents are failure or breakdown of steering gear, propulsion plant,electrical generating system, essential shipborne navigational aids.

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ANNEX 3

MARITIME & COASTGUARD AGENCY - MARINE OFFICES

SOUTH OF ENGLAND REGION

Regional Office Spring Place105 Commercial RoadSouthampton SO15 1EGTel: 01703 329321Fax: 01703 329351

Regional Sub-Offices

Falmouth Pendennis PointCastle WayFalmouthCornwallTR11 4WZTel: 01326 312761Fax: 01326 314331

Orpington Central Court1B Knoll RiseOrpingtonKentBR6 0JATel: 01689 890400Fax: 01689 890446

Plymouth Phoenix HouseNotte StreetPlymouthDevonPL1 2HFTel: 01752 266211Fax: 01752 225826

EAST OF ENGLAND REGION

Regional Office Crosskill HouseMill LaneBeverleyHumbersideHU17 9JBTel: 01482 766606Fax: 01482 869989

Regional Sub-Offices

Great Yarmouth 5th FloorYarmouth House45 Yarmouth WayGt YarmouthNR30 2QZTel: 01493 330433Fax: 01493 330489

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Middlesbrough 3rd FloorVictoria HousePearson CourtTeesdale ParkStockton on TeesTS17 6PTTel: 01642 611040Fax: 01642 614048

Newcastle-upon-Tyne Government BuildingsBroadway WestGosforthNewcastle-upon-TyneNE3 2JLTel: 0191 285 7171Fax: 0191 284 7464

WALES AND WEST OF ENGLAND REGION

Regional Office Tutt HeadMumblesSwanseaSA3 4EXTel: 01792 368472Fax: 01792 363125

Regional Sub-Offices

Cardiff 2nd Floor, Oxford HouseHills StCardiffCF1 2TDTel: 01222 229556Fax: 01222 229017

Liverpool 2nd FloorGraeme HouseDerby SquareLiverpoolLS2 7SQTel: 0151 471 1142Fax: 0151 471 1143

Milford Haven Gorsewood DriveHakinMilford Haven SA73 3HBTel: 01646 693272Fax: 01646 697852

SCOTLAND AND NORTHERN IRELAND REGION

Regional Office Blaikies QuayAberdeenAB11 5EZTel: 01224 574122Fax: 01224 571920

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Regional Sub-Offices

Belfast Customs HouseQueens SquareBelfastBT1 3ETTel: 01232 562962Fax: 01232 562960

Edinburgh 1 John’s PlaceLeithEdinburghEH6 7ELTel: 0131 554 5488Fax: 0131 554 7689

Glasgow 6000 Academy ParkGower StreetGlasgowG51 1TRTel: 0141 427 9400Fax: 0141 427 9401

Shetland The KnabKnab RdLerwickShetlandZE1 0AXTel: 01595 696712Fax: 01595 692160