Published: 28 November 2006
National Plan to Counter Marine Pollution
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) have published an updated version of the UK's National Contingency Plan for Marine Pollution from Shipping and Offshore Installations.
The purpose of the National Contingency Plan is to ensure that a timely, measured and effective response is put into effect to protect the UK's seas and coasts following an incident from a ship or offshore installation.
The principles underpinning the Contingency Plan remain unchanged but the new edition takes account of lessons learned following actual incidents and national exercises during recent years. Name and contact details have been updated as appropriate.
John Astbury, Acting Chief Executive of the MCA said:
"The National Contingency Plan has always been based on firm and well-founded principles and these remain unchanged.
However, we have learned important lessons in dealing with actual incidents since the Plan was first produced.
Refreshing the Contingency Plan has been very thorough. It has taken more than a year, and a wide range of stakeholders inside and outside government has been consulted.
Their contributions and expertise have been invaluable in helping to make the Plan a very practical document for dealing with marine pollution incidents speedily and efficiently.
The owners and masters of ships and the operators of offshore installations bear the primary responsibility for ensuring that they do not pollute the sea.
Harbour authorities are likewise responsible for ensuring that their ports operate in a manner that avoids marine pollution, and for responding to incidents within their limits.
However, ships, offshore installations and harbour authorities may face problems that exceed the response capabilities that they can reasonably maintain.
This Plan sets out the circumstances in which the MCA deploys the UK's national assets when responding to a marine pollution incident in order to protect the overriding public interest."
The National Contingency Plan for Marine Pollution from Shipping and Offshore Installations sets out the circumstances in which the MCA will deploy the UK's national assets when responding to a marine pollution incident inside the UK's pollution control zone:
· These national assets include contracts for:
o emergency towing vessels
o dispersant spraying aircraft
o at-sea recovery
o shoreline counter pollution equipment
· This refreshed plan describes how the MCA will manage these resources
The process used for the consultation was:
· A formal, consultative meeting where representatives of all NCP stakeholders were present. Working groups were formed to consider issues identified at the consultation meeting
· Drafts were produced and, where accepted and fitting, were included into the NCP
· Consultation documentation was circulated to over 400 organisations inside the UK, including:
o devolved administrations
o government departments
o all ports and harbours and local authorities
o environmental regulators
o nature conservation organisations
o fishery departments
The UK has had a National Contingency Plan for a number of years, but it was last re-issued in 2000.
In 2005 the MCA started the process of refreshing the Plan, bringing it up to date to meet the challenges of the future.
Further information:
Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA)
National Contingency Plan for Marine Pollution from Shipping and Offshore Installations.
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