RESOLUTION MEPC.54(32)
adopted on 6 March 1992
GUIDELINES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SHIPBOARD OIL POLLUTION
EMERGENCY PLANS
(Amended by MEPC.86(44)
Amendments up to 13 March
2000)
THE MARINE
ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION COMMITTEE,
RECALLING
Article 38 (a) of the Convention on the International Maritime Organization
concerning the function of the Committee,
NOTING
regulation 26 of Annex I of MARPOL 73/78 which requires ships to carry a
shipboard oil pollution emergency plan in accordance with the Guidelines
developed by the Organization,
RECOGNIZING
the urgent need for developing such Guidelines in order to ensure uniform
application of regulation 26,
HAVING
CONSIDERED at its thirty-second session proposals for the Guidelines submitted
by Governments,
1. ADOPTS the
Guidelines for the development of the shipboard oil spill emergency plan, the
text of which is set out at the annex to the present resolution;
2. URGES Governments
to take necessary steps to ensure that the shipboard oil spill emergency plans
are developed in accordance with these Guidelines upon entry into force of
regulation 26 of Annex I of MARPOL 73/78.
ANNEX
GUIDELINES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SHIPBOARD OIL POLLUTION
EMERGENCY PLANS 
PREFACE
These Guidelines, prepared by the Marine
Environment Protection Committee of the International Maritime Organization
(IMO), contain information for the preparation of shipboard oil pollution
emergency plans. These plans are required under regulation 26 of Annex I of the
International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973, as
modified by the Protocol of 1978 relating thereto, as amended (MARPOL 73/78).
The
main objectives of these Guidelines are:
- to
assist ship owners in preparing shipboard oil pollution emergency plans that
comply with the cited regulation;
- to
assist Governments in developing and enacting domestic laws which give force to
and implement the cited regulation.
In the
interest of uniformity, Governments are requested to refer to these Guidelines
when preparing appropriate national regulations.
CONTENTS
Preface
SECTIONS
1. INTRODUCTION
2. MANDATORY PROVISIONS
3. NON-MANDATORY PROVISIONS
APPENDICES
Appendix I - Additional References for the Development of
Shipboard Oil Pollution Emergency Plans
Appendix II - Example Format
for Shipboard Oil Pollution Emergency Plan
GUIDELINES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SHIPBOARD OIL POLLUTION
EMERGENCY PLANS
1 INTRODUCTION
1.1 These Guidelines have
been developed to assist with the preparation of the shipboard oil pollution
emergency plans (hereafter referred to as the "Plan (s) '') that are
required by regulation 26 of Annex I of the International Convention
for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973, as modified by the Protocol
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 the
reader to the basic concept of the Guidelines
and the Plans that are expected to be developed from them.
.2
Mandatory provisions: This section provides guidance to ensure that the
mandatory provisions of regulation 26 of Annex I of the Convention are met.
.3
Non-Mandatory provisions: This section provides guidance concerning the
inclusion of other information in the Plan. This information, although not
required by regulation 26 of Annex I of MARPOL 73/78, may be required by local
authorities in ports visited by the ship, or it may be added to provide
additional assistance to the ship's 
master when responding to an emergency
situation. 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 the preparation of the Plans for specific ships.
The broad spectrum of ships for which Plans are required makes it impractical
to provide specific
guidelines for each ship type. Plan writers are cautioned that they must
consider in their Plans the many variables that apply to their ships. 
Some of these
variables include: type and size of ship, cargo, route, and shore based
management: structure. The guidelines are not intended to be a compilation of
menu items from which the Plan writer can select certain sections and produce a
workable Plan. For a Plan to be effective and to comply with regulation 26 of
Annex I of the Convention, it must be carefully tailored to the particular ship
for which it is intended. Properly used, 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 unexpected discharge of oil. Its primary purpose is to set
in motion the necessary actions to stop or minimize the discharge and to
mitigate its effects. Effective planning ensures that the necessary actions are
taken in a structured, logical and timely manner.
1.4.1
The Plan must go beyond providing for operational spills. It must include
guidance to assist the master 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 the pressures and multiple tasks facing personnel
confronted with an emergency situation. In the heat of the 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. As a consequence, the ship and its personnel may be
exposed to increasing hazards and greater environmental 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.
1.4.4 The Plan envisioned by regulation 26 of Annex I to the
Convention is intended to
be a simple document. Use of summarizing flowcharts or checklists to guide the
master through the various actions and decisions required during an incident
response is highly encouraged. These can provide a quickly visible and
logically sequenced form of information which can reduce error and oversight
during emergency situations. Inclusion of extensive background information on
the ship, cargo, etc., should be avoided as this is generally available
elsewhere. If such information be relevant, it should be kept to annexes 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 summarizing flowchart referred to in
paragraph 1.4.4 is included in the Example Format 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 must therefore be available in the working
language of the master and officers. A change in the master and officers which
brings about an attendant change in their working language would require the
issue of the Plan in the new language.
2 MANDATORY PROVISIONS OF REGULATION 26
OF ANNEX I TO THE CONVENTION
2.1 This section provides individual guidelines for each of the
four mandatory provisions of regulation 26 of 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 to report an oil pollution incident, as required in article 8 and
Protocol I of the present Convention, based on guidelines developed by the
Organization*;
______________________
* Reference is made to "General
principles for ship reporting system and ship reporting requirements, including
Guidelines for reporting incidents involving dangerous goods, harmful
substances and/or marine pollutants" adopted by the Organization by
resolution A.648(16).
For ease of reference, see IMO publication "Provisions concerning the
Reporting of Incidents Involving Harmful Substances under MARPOL 73/78".
.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 or control the discharge of oil following the incident; and
.4
the procedures and point of contact on the ship for co-ordinating shipboard
activities with national 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 or
probable 
discharges.
The intent of this requirement is to ensure that coastal States are informed
without delay, of any incident giving rise to pollution, or threat of
pollution, of the marine environment, as well as 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 to determine when a report to the coastal State
is required.
2.3.1.1 Actual discharge: 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 of securing 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
instantaneous rate permitted under the present Convention.
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 a report. In judging whether there is such
a probability and whether the report should be made, the following 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 probable discharge which would warrant an obligation to report. As a
general guideline, the master should make a report in cases of:
.1
damage, failure or breakdown which affects the safety of ships; examples of
such situations are 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 of navigation; 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 the
initial report to the coastal State. The Organization's guidelines in
resolution A.648(16)
provide necessary detail for the Plan writer. The Plan should include a
prepared message form, an example of which is included at Appendix II to these
Guidelines. Coastal States are encouraged to take note of table 1 of Appendix
II and accept this as sufficient initial information. Supplementary or
follow-up reports should as far as possible use the same format.
2.4 List of persons to be contacted
2.4.1 The ship involved in a pollution incident will have to
communicate with both coastal State or port contacts and ship interests
contacts
2.4.2 When compiling contact lists, due account must be taken of
the need to provide 24-hour contact information and to provide alternates to
the designated
contact. These details must be routinely updated 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 minimize damage from a
pollution incident, it is essential that appropriate coastal States be notified
without delay. This process is begun with the initial report required by
article 8 and Protocol I of the Convention. Guidelines for making this report
are provided in paragraph 2.3, 2.4. The Plan should include as an appendix the
list of agencies or officials of administrations responsible for receiving and
processing reports as developed and updated by the Organization in conformance
with article 8 of the Convention. In the absence of a listed focal point, or
should any undue delay be experienced in contacting the responsible authority
by direct means, the master should be advised to contact the nearest coastal
radio station, designated ship movement reporting station or Rescue
Co-ordination Centre (RCC) by the quickest available means.
2.4.4 Port contacts
2.4.4.1 For ships in port, notification
of local agencies will speed response. The variety of trades in which ships
engage makes it impractical to specify in these guidelines a definitive
approach to listing these agencies in the Plan. Information on regularly
visited ports should be included as an appendix to the Plan. Where this is not
feasible, the Plan should require the master to obtain details concerning local
reporting procedures upon arriving in port.
2.4.5 Ship
interest contacts
2.4.5.1 The Plan should provide details of all parties with an
interest in the ship to be advised in the event of an incident. This
information should be provided in the form of a contact list. When compiling
such lists, it should be remembered that in the event of a serious incident,
ship's personnel will be fully engaged in saving life and taking steps to
control and minimize the effects of the casualty. They should therefore not be
hampered by having onerous communications requirements imposed on them.
2.4.5.2 Procedures will vary between companies but it is important
that the Plan clearly specifies who will be responsible for informing the
various interested parties such as cargo owners, insurers and salvage
interests. It is also essential that both the ship's Plan and its company's
shores ide Plan are co-ordinated to guarantee that all parties having an
interest are advised and that duplication of reports is avoided.
2.5 Steps to control discharge
2.5.1 Ship personnel will almost always be in the best position to
take quick action to mitigate or control the discharge of oil from their ship.
The Plan should provide the master with clear guidance on how to accomplish
this mitigation for a variety of situations. The Plan should not only outline
action to be taken, but it should also identify who on board is responsible so
that confusion during the emergency can 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
placed on various aspects of this section. As a minimum, the Plan should
provide the master with guidance to address the following:
.1
Operational spills: The Plan should outline the procedures for removal of oil
spilled and contained on deck. This may be through the use of on-board
resources or by hiring a clean-up company. In either case the Plan should
provide guidance to ensure proper disposal of removed oil 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. A1ternatives such as lowering cargo or bunkers back to empty or slack
tanks or readying pumps to transfer the excess ashore should be outlined.
.1.3
Hull leakage: The Plan should provide guidance for responding to spillage due
to suspected hull leakage. This may involve guidance on measures to be taken to
reduce the head of cargo in the tank involved either by internal transfer or
discharge ashore, Procedures to handle situations where it is not possible to
identify the specific tank from which leakage is occurring should also be
provided. Procedures for dealing with suspected hull fractures should be
included and they should carry appropriate cautions regarding attention to the
effect corrective actions may have on hull stress and stability.
.2
Spills resulting from casualties: Each of the casualties listed below should be
treated in the Plan as a separate section comprised of various checklists or
other means which will ensure that the master considers all appropriate factors
when addressing the specific casualty. These checklists must be tailored to the
specific
ship. In addition to the checklists, specific personnel assignments for
anticipated tasks must be identified. Reference to existing fire control plans
and muster 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,
2.5.3 In addition to the checklists and
personnel duty assignments mentioned in paragraph 2.5.2, the Plan should
provide the master with guidance concerning priority actions, stability and
stress considerations, and lightening.
2.5.3.1
Priority actions: This section provides some general considerations that apply
to a wide range of casualties. 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 personnel and the ship and to take action to prevent escalation of the
incident. In casualties involving spills, immediate consideration should be
given to measures aimed at preventing fire and explosion, 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
possible sources of ignition should be eliminated and action taken to prevent
flammable vapours entering accommodation and engine-room spaces. When it is
possible to manoeuvre, the master, in conjunction with the appropriate shore
authorities, may consider moving his ship to a more suitable location in order,
for example, to facilitate emergency repair work or lightening operations, or
to reduce the threat posed to any particularly sensitive shoreline areas. Such
manoeuvring may be subject to coastal State jurisdiction.
.2
Prior to considering remedial- action, the master will need to obtain detailed
information on the damage sustained by his ship, visual inspection should be
carried out and all cargo tanks, bunker tanks, and other compartments sounded.
Due regard should be paid to the indiscriminate opening of ullage plugs or
sighting ports, especially when the ship is aground, as loss of buoyancy could
result.
.3
Having assessed the damage sustained by the ship, the master will be in a
position to decide what action should be taken to prevent or minimize further
spillage. When bottom damage is sustained, hydrostatic
balance will be achieved fairly rapidly, especially if the damage is severe, in
which case the time available for preventive action will often be limited. When
significant side damage is sustained in the way of oil tanks, cargo or bunkers
will be released fairly rapidly until hydrostatic balance is achieved and the
rate of release will then reduce 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 consider stability and stress when taking
actions to mitigate the spillage of oil or to free the ship if aground. The
Plan should provide the master with detailed guidance to ensure that these
aspects are properly considered. Nothing in this section shall be construed as
creating a requirement for damage stability plans or calculations beyond those
required by relevant international conventions.
.1
Internal transfers should be undertaken only with a full appreciation of the
likely impact on the ship's overall stress and stability. When the damage sustained is
extensive, the impact of internal transfers on stress and stability may be
impossible for the ship to assess. Contact may have to be made with the owner
or operator or other entity in order that information can be provided so that
damage stability and damaged longitudinal strength assessments may be made.
These could be made within the head office technical departments. In other
cases, classification societies or independent organizations may need to be
contacted, The Plan should clearly 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
making damage stability and damaged longitudinal strength assessments.
2.5.3.3 Lightening: Should the ship sustain extensive structural
damage, it may be necessary to transfer all or part of the cargo to another
ship. The Plan should provide guidance on procedures to be followed for
ship-to-ship transfer of cargo. Reference may be made in the Plan to existing company
guides. A copy of such company procedures for ship-to-ship transfer operations
should be kept with the Plan. The Plan should address the need for
co-ordinating this activity with the coastal State, as such operation may be
subject to its jurisdiction.
2.5.4 In order to have the necessary information available to
respond to the situations referred to in paragraph 2.5.2, certain plans,
drawings, and ship-specific details such as, a layout of a general arrangement
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-ordination: Quick, efficient co-ordination between the
ship and coastal State or other involved parties becomes vital in mitigating
the effects of a pollution incident, The Plan should address the need to
contact the coastal State for authorization prior to undertaking mitigating
actions.
2.6.1 The identities and roles of various national and local authorities
involved vary widely from State 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 the
owner for the cost. In other coastal States, responsibility for initiating
response is placed on the shipowner. In the case of the latter the Plan will
require greater detail and guidance to assist the master with organizing this
response,
3 NON-MANDATORY
PROVISIONS
3.1 In addition to the
provisions required by regulation 26 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 section 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.
3.4 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.
3.5 Record-keeping: As
with any other incident that will eventually involve liability, compensation
and reimbursement issues, the owner may want to include in his Plan guidance
for the keeping of 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 collecting of
samples of spilled oil as well as that carried on board may also be provided.
3.6 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
incorporate the following two means:
.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;
.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,
3.7 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.
APPENDIX I
The
following publications are suggested to provide additional assistance in the
preparation of Plans:
Manual on Oil Pollution, Section II, Contingency Planning
International Maritime Organization (IMO)
ISBN 92 801
1233 3
Available in English, French, and Spanish from IMO, Publications
Section,
4
A1bert Embankment, London SEI 7 SR
Response to Marine Oil Spills
International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation (ITOPF)
ISBN 0 948691 51 4
Available in English, French, and Spanish from Wit-herby & Co.
Ltd.,
32-36
Ay1esbury Street, London ECIR OET
Provisions Concerning the Reporting of Incidents Involving Harmful
Substances under MARPOL 73/78 IMO
ISBN 92 801 1261 9
Avai1ab1e
in English, French and Spanish from IMO Publications Section
International Safety Guide for Oil Tankers and Terminals
ISBN 0 948691 62 X
Available
from Witherby & Co. Ltd., London
Peril at Sea and Salvage - A Guide for Masters International
Chamber of Shipping and Oil