7 Responsibilities
Clasification Society 2024 - Version 9.40
Statutory Documents - IMO Publications and Documents - Circulars - Ballast Water Management - BWM.2/Circular.17 – International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments, 2004 – (20 October 2008)Guidance document on arrangements for responding to emergency situations involving ballast water operations - Annex – Draft Guidance Document on Arrangements for Responding to Emergency Situations Involving Ballast Water Operations - 7 Responsibilities

7 Responsibilities

  7.1 The Emergency Response Plan should establish an appropriate organizational structure in order to handle those emergency situations deemed likely to occur. Sufficient and appropriate management resources should be identified. Resource capability for emergency response should be available at all times. The ability to quickly cascade information on a particular threat is vital.

  7.2 A Lead Agency should be identified (which in reality should be the Administration or another Government body) to take overall responsibility for emergency response. This includes the allocation of responsibilities and competence requirements. This could be done in parallel with oil and chemical spill plans and contingency planning, or in parallel with terrestrial pest and disease response arrangements. The Lead Agency should be authorized to request or to provide assistance whenever necessary.

  7.3 The Lead Agency would be responsible for both implementing and standing down the emergency operation. During an incident the area of concern should be identified and be designated with an Emergency Status. This status should be replaced by a note of normalization once the emergency has passed and the response has been stood down. The declaration of an emergency should activate the procedures appropriate to the threats being faced. When these measures have been identified, agreed, and implemented, the emergency operation may enter into an operational phase where the Emergency Status may be lifted. This should happen following proven improvements of the situation where the level of risks and threats can be properly controlled. Criteria for both these options should be identified in the Emergency Response Plan. The Lead Agency should monitor the development of the situation and should lift the Emergency Status as soon as it is deemed appropriate to do so.

  7.4 The Lead Agency should develop a responsibility matrix to be incorporated in the Emergency Response Plan. Roles and responsibilities may be defined for the following Parties:

– authorities including maritime, environmental, public health, port, and legal organizations;
– the owner, operator, shipping company, shipping agencies and ships;
– classification societies or recognized organizations;
– any supporting organization, e.g., research centres, universities, consulting and specialized services companies, reception facilities, etc.;
– representatives from the industry, tourism, fishing, aquaculture, etc.;
– analysis laboratories; and
– manufacturers of systems and equipment for treating ballast water.
Parent topic: Annex – Draft Guidance Document on Arrangements for Responding to Emergency Situations Involving Ballast Water Operations
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