3.1 In addition to the provisions required by
regulation 26 (now regulation 37)
of annex I of the Convention, local requirements, insurance company,
or owner/operator policies, etc., may dictate that other guidance
be provided in the Plan. These topics may include: provision of diagrams
and drawings, ship-carried response equipment, public affairs, record-keeping,
and reference materials.
3.2 Plans and diagrams: In addition to the plans
required by 2.5.4 above, other details
concerning the ship's design and construction may be appended to the
Plan or their location identified.
3.3 Response equipment: Some ships may carry on
board equipment to assist in pollution response. The type and quantity
of this equipment may vary widely. The Plan should indicate an inventory
of such equipment, if carried. It should also provide directions for
safe use and guidelines to assist the master in determining when such
use is warranted. Care should be exercised to ensure that the use
of such equipment by the crew is practical and consistent with safety
considerations. When such equipment is carried, the Plan should establish
personnel responsibilities for its deployment, oversight, and maintenance.
In order to ensure safe 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 on the sea without authorization of the appropriate coastal
State and that such authorization should also be requested, when required,
for use of containment or recovery equipment (see paragraph
1.4.7).
3.4 Shoreside Spill Response Co-ordinator or Qualified
Individual: Guidance for the master for requesting and co-ordinating
initial response actions with the person responsible for mobilizing
shoreside response personnel and equipment.
3.5 Some coastal States require ships to have
contracts with "response contractors" when ships enter into such States'
ports. When ships sail toward such States, it is recommended that
response resources (personnel and equipment) and capabilities are
identified in advance for each potential port State. In other States,
in particular, those referred to in paragraph
1.4.7, such requirements do not exist in general.
3.6 Planning Standards: To facilitate forethought
about the amount of response resources which should be requested,
possible scenarios should be analysed and accordingly planned for
(see paragraph 1.4.7).
3.7 Public affairs: The owners may want to include
in the Plan guidance for the master in dealing with the distribution
of information to the news media. Such guidance should be fashioned
to reduce the burden on ship's personnel already busy with the emergency
at hand.
3.8 Record-keeping: As with any other incident
that will eventually involve liability, compensation and reimbursement
issues, the owner may want to include in the Plan guidance on keeping
appropriate records of the pollution incident. Apart from detailing
all actions taken on board, records might include communications with
outside authorities, owners, and other parties, as well as a brief
summary of decisions and information passed and received. Guidance
on collection of samples of spilled oil as well as oil carried on
board may also be provided.
3.9 Plan review: Regular review of the Plan by
the owner, operator or master is recommended to ensure that the specific
information contained therein is current. A feedback system should
be employed which will allow quick capture of changing information
and incorporation of it into the Plan. This feedback system should
include the following:
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.1 periodic review: the Plan should be reviewed
by the owner or operator at least yearly to capture changes in local
law or policy, contact names and numbers, ship characteristics, or
company policy;
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.2 event review: after any use of the Plan in
response to an incident, its effectiveness should be evaluated by
the owner or operator and modifications made accordingly.
3.10 Plan testing: The Plan will be of little
value if it is not made familiar to the personnel who will use it.
Regular exercises will ensure that the Plan functions as expected
and that the contacts and communications specified are accurate. Such
exercises may be held in conjunction with other shipboard exercises
and appropriately logged. Where ships carry response equipment, hands-on
experience with it by crew members will greatly enhance safety and
effectiveness in an emergency situation. Procedures for training and
exercise may be defined.
3.11 Salvage: The plan should contain information
on what the crew's responsibilities are in a casualty where a vessel
is partially or fully disabled, and what constitutes dangerous conditions.
A decision process should be outlined in the plan that will aid the
master in determining when salvage assistance should be obtained.
The decision process should include, but not be limited to the following:
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.1 Nearest land or hazard to navigation;
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.2 Vessel's set and drift;
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.3 Location and time of impact with hazard based
on vessel's set and drift;
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.4 Estimated time of casualty repair; and
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.5 Determination of the nearest capable assistance
and its response time (i.e. or tug assistance, the time it will take
to get on scene and secure the tow). When a casualty occurs to a vessel
underway that reduces its manoeuvrability, the master needs to determine
his window of opportunity considering the response time of assistance,
regardless of the estimated time of repair. It would not be prudent
to hesitate in calling for assistance when the time needed to repair
something goes beyond the window of opportunity.