Organisation of oil spill Organisation of oil spill response in the UKresponse in the UK

Phases of incident response

Search and Rescue

Salvage

At Sea Response

Shoreline Clean - Up

Who is involved Who is involved and who does what ?and who does what ?

• HMCG HMCG Her Majesty’s Coast GuardHer Majesty’s Coast Guard

• CPSO CPSO Counter Pollution & Salvage OfficerCounter Pollution & Salvage Officer

• SOSREP – SOSREP – Secretary of State’s RepresentativeSecretary of State’s Representative

• SCU – Salvage Control UnitSCU – Salvage Control Unit

• MRC – Marine Response CentreMRC – Marine Response Centre

• SRC – Shoreline Response CentreSRC – Shoreline Response Centre

• EG – Environment GroupEG – Environment Group

Command and controlCommand and control

Director of OperationsDirector of OperationsMCAMCA

HMCGSearch and

Rescue

MRCAt-sea response

operationsMCA

SOSREP

SCU

Salvage operations

SRCShoreline clean-up

LA + MCA

Environment Group

Environmental advice

Secretary of StateSecretary of State

Chief ExecutiveChief ExecutiveMCAMCA

HMCGHMCG

SOSREPSOSREP

SCUSCU

MRCMRC

SRCSRC

EGEG

UK oil spill responseUK oil spill response

• Each unit has a specific roleEach unit has a specific role

• Some units make decisions and initiate Some units make decisions and initiate actionsactions

• Some units have statutory powers, some Some units have statutory powers, some do notdo not

• Some provide advice to other unitsSome provide advice to other units

Prime objective of all involved to minimise Prime objective of all involved to minimise the potential effects of the pollutionthe potential effects of the pollution

HMCGHMCG• HMCG is most often the first HMCG is most often the first

organisation notified of an oil organisation notified of an oil spill at seaspill at sea

• SAR Search and RescueSAR Search and Rescue• In support of oil spill response:In support of oil spill response:

– Provide communications, marine Provide communications, marine safety information broadcasts, safety information broadcasts,

– Assists with deployment of ETVs Assists with deployment of ETVs and helicopters, MCA Boatsand helicopters, MCA Boats

– Mobilise personnel to key locationsMobilise personnel to key locations– provide local knowledge of area, provide local knowledge of area,

etc.etc.

Duty CPSODuty CPSO

• Make assessment of incident and assume Make assessment of incident and assume responsibility for CP & S implications of responsibility for CP & S implications of incidentincident– arrange to deploy assetsarrange to deploy assets– liaise with owners / operatorsliaise with owners / operators– Inform relevant authorities / organisations Inform relevant authorities / organisations – activate Marine Emergency Information Room activate Marine Emergency Information Room

(MEIR), if appropriate(MEIR), if appropriate– contact CP Scientist who will discuss with LAs and contact CP Scientist who will discuss with LAs and

carry out any oil spill modellingcarry out any oil spill modelling– notify the MCA Media Teamnotify the MCA Media Team

SOSREPSOSREP

• SOSREPSOSREP– SOSREP has ultimate powers to intervene on behalf SOSREP has ultimate powers to intervene on behalf

of Secretary of State for Transport in any salvage of Secretary of State for Transport in any salvage situation or situation where there is a threat of situation or situation where there is a threat of significant pollutionsignificant pollution

• Powers to Intervene and issue DirectionsPowers to Intervene and issue Directions• Powers to require ships to be moved or Powers to require ships to be moved or

not to be moved from a specific area or not to be moved from a specific area or locality within UK Waters.locality within UK Waters.

• Powers to establish Temporary Exclusion Powers to establish Temporary Exclusion Zone (TEZ)Zone (TEZ)

HMCGHMCG

SOSREPSOSREP

SCUSCU

MRCMRC

SRCSRC

EGEG

SCU SCU (Salvage Control Unit)(Salvage Control Unit)

• Purpose of SCU is to support SOSREP Purpose of SCU is to support SOSREP by:by:– Considering information on progress of Considering information on progress of

salvagesalvage– Evaluating all possible optionsEvaluating all possible options– Interacting with on board Salvage TeamInteracting with on board Salvage Team– Providing feedback with other units such as Providing feedback with other units such as

MRC, MEIR, Environment GroupMRC, MEIR, Environment Group– Facilitating the mobilisation of resourcesFacilitating the mobilisation of resources

Prime objective of all action is to minimise Prime objective of all action is to minimise the risk of environmental pollutionthe risk of environmental pollution

SCU SCU (Salvage Control Unit)(Salvage Control Unit)

• Membership:Membership:– SOSREP, Independent SOSREP Salvage AdviserSOSREP, Independent SOSREP Salvage Adviser– CPSO, Salvage Manager, Harbour Master, CPSO, Salvage Manager, Harbour Master, – Ship owner/insurer representative, Ship owner/insurer representative, – EG Liaison Officer, Specialist Scientific, EG Liaison Officer, Specialist Scientific,

Health/Safety AdviserHealth/Safety Adviser

SCU is SCU is NOTNOT a decision making body; a decision making body; decisions remain the responsibility of decisions remain the responsibility of

SOSREPSOSREP

MRC MRC (Marine Response Centre)(Marine Response Centre)

• Purpose of MRC is to:Purpose of MRC is to:– Assess and monitor the situation at seaAssess and monitor the situation at sea– Initiate and control dispersant-spraying Initiate and control dispersant-spraying

operations on spilled oil at seaoperations on spilled oil at sea– Initiate and control mechanical recovery Initiate and control mechanical recovery

options at seaoptions at sea– Initiate and control cargo transfer operationsInitiate and control cargo transfer operations

MRC MRC (Marine Response Centre)(Marine Response Centre)

• Members:Members:– CPSOCPSO– MCA Officer to manage cargo transfer op’sMCA Officer to manage cargo transfer op’s– MCA Logistics OfficerMCA Logistics Officer– Harbour representative, if a harbour is Harbour representative, if a harbour is

involvedinvolved– Officer from relevant fisheries departmentOfficer from relevant fisheries department– Local Authority Officer to liaise with the SRCLocal Authority Officer to liaise with the SRC– Environmental Liaison OfficerEnvironmental Liaison Officer– MCA Public Relations OfficerMCA Public Relations Officer

SRC SRC (Shoreline Response Centre)(Shoreline Response Centre)

• Purpose of SRC is to co-ordinate and lead Purpose of SRC is to co-ordinate and lead the the on-shoreon-shore response response• Determine the extent of the problemDetermine the extent of the problem• Agree a strategy and prioritiesAgree a strategy and priorities• Initiate responseInitiate response• Obtain and allocate resourcesObtain and allocate resources• Determine methods of waste disposalDetermine methods of waste disposal• Monitor progressMonitor progress• Brief elected members, Ministers, VIPs, mediaBrief elected members, Ministers, VIPs, media

SRC SRC (Shoreline Response Centre)(Shoreline Response Centre)

Env AgencyEnv Agency CCWCCW DefraDefra MFAMFA Contractors Contractors ITOPF ITOPF UKPIAUKPIA UKOOAUKOOA

GNNGNN Red CrossRed Cross St Johns AmbulanceSt Johns Ambulance Oil CompanyOil Company HMCG / CPBHMCG / CPB PolicePolice

Local Authority personnel will be mainly Local Authority personnel will be mainly concerned with shoreline clean-upconcerned with shoreline clean-up

Environment Group (EG)Environment Group (EG)

• FunctionFunction– To provide advice and guidance on To provide advice and guidance on

environmental matters to SCU, MRC & SRCenvironmental matters to SCU, MRC & SRC

• Role is purely advisoryRole is purely advisory– EG has no formal powers (although members EG has no formal powers (although members

may have)may have)

• MCA initiates then contacts:MCA initiates then contacts:– Statutory Nature Conservation BodyStatutory Nature Conservation Body

– Environmental RegulatorEnvironmental Regulator

– Fisheries DepartmentFisheries Department

Environment Group (EG)Environment Group (EG)

• CORE MEMBERSHIPCORE MEMBERSHIP– Environmental RegulatorEnvironmental Regulator– Statutory Nature Conservation BodyStatutory Nature Conservation Body– Fisheries DepartmentFisheries Department– Public Health OfficerPublic Health Officer– MCAMCA

• Dependant upon location, nature and Dependant upon location, nature and scale of the incidentscale of the incident

• Other organisations may be invited to join Other organisations may be invited to join EG at the discretion of the chairEG at the discretion of the chair

Environment Group (EG)Environment Group (EG)

• The core membership may choose to invite:The core membership may choose to invite:– Sea Fisheries CommitteeSea Fisheries Committee– National Park AuthoritiesNational Park Authorities– Local Health AuthorityLocal Health Authority– HSEHSE– Health Protection AgencyHealth Protection Agency– Animal Welfare bodies - RSPCA, SSPCA USPCAAnimal Welfare bodies - RSPCA, SSPCA USPCA– Bird casualty record collation - RSPBBird casualty record collation - RSPB– NGO’sNGO’s– Local Wildlife Trusts Local Wildlife Trusts – Local Animal Welfare TrustsLocal Animal Welfare Trusts– Oil Company - through IPIECA - expertise and Oil Company - through IPIECA - expertise and

facilitiesfacilities

HMCGHMCG

SOSREPSOSREP

SCUSCU

MRCMRC

SRCSRC

EGEG