INTERNATIONAL%20CONVENTION%20ON%20OIL%20POLLUTION%20PREPAREDNESS,%20RESPONSE%20AND%20CO-OPERATION,%201990

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INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION ON OIL POLLUTION
PREPAREDNESS, RESPONSE AND CO-OPERATION, 1990
A PRESENTATION TO THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE OF
TRANSPORT 22 AUGUST 2007 BY NOSIPO SOBEKWA CHIEF
DIRECTOR MARITIME TRANSPORT REGULATION DEPARTMENT
OF TRANSPORT

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OUTLINE

• INTRODUCTION
• BACKGROUND
• OIL POLLUTION EMERGENCY PLANS
• OIL POLLUTION REPORTING PROCEDURES
• ACTION ON RECEIVING AN OIL POLLUTION REPORT
• NATIONAL AND REGIONAL SYSTEMS FOR PREPAREDNESS
  AND RESPONSE
• INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATION AND TECHNICAL
  CO-OPERATION
• STATE OF READINESS
• LEVELS OF RESPONSE IN NATIONAL CONTINGENCY PLAN

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INTRODUCTION

• Oil pollution incident refers to an occurrence or
  series of occurrences having the same origin,
  which results or may result in a discharge of oil
  and which poses or may pose a threat to the
  marine environment, or to the coastline or
  related interests of one or more States, and
  which requires emergency action or other
  immediate response

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BACKGROUND

• OPRC was adopted in an IMO Diplomatic Conference
  held in 1990 in London
• The purpose of the Convention is to ensure that
  Member States put adequate measures in place to
  be able to respond to oil pollution incidents and
  where applicable, enable States to co-operate in
  dealing with oil pollution incidents
• OPRC is a recognition of serious threat posed by
  oil pollution to marine environment

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BACKGROUND (cont)

• It is also a proactive measure to ensure that
  damage to the environment is minimized during an
  incident
• Parties to the Convention undertake,
  individually or jointly, to take all appropriate
  measures to prepare for and respond to an oil
  pollution incident
• An important Convention for SA because
• SA- a biologically diverse countries, ranking
  third in the world.
• Also has approximately 3000 km coastline that
  contributes enormously to the economy both in
  terms of ecotourism, fishing resources and
  property development and other wise.

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BACKGROUND (cont)

• For example, the value of the entire fishing
  industry, incorporating commercial, recreational
  and subsistence fishing, is estimated to be R4.5
  billion per annum
• Approximately 600 000 tons of marine resources
  are harvested annually by 27 000 South African
  fisherman
• South Africa is also located along one of the
  busiest shipping routes in the world, making it
  vulnerable to casualties and pollution incidents
• SA must always be prepared for marine casualties
  and oil pollution incidents

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OIL POLLUTION EMERGENCY PLANS

• Each party shall ensure that ships flying its
  flag have onboard a shipboard oil pollution
  emergency plan consistent with guidelines
  developed by IMO
• Such a ship will while in a port be subjected to
  inspection by duly authorized officers for
  compliance
• This requirement will equally apply to operators
  of offshore units, sea ports and oil handling
  facilities

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OIL POLLUTION REPORTING PROCEDURES

• Each party shall
• Require Masters in charge of ships or offshore
  units to report without delay any event involving
  discharge or probable discharge of oil to the
  nearest coastal state (ships) and coastal state
  where the offshore unit is located
• Instruct its maritime inspection vessels or
  aircraft to report any observed event at sea
  involving a discharge of oil or the presence of
  oil to the competent national authority or
  nearest coastal state

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OIL POLLUTION REPORTING PROCEDURES (cont)

• Each party shall
• Request the pilots of civil aircraft to report
  any observed event at sea involving a discharge
  of oil or presence of oil to the nearest coastal
  state

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ACTION ON RECEIVING AN OIL POLLUTION REPORT

• Upon receiving a pollution information report
  provided by other sources, the party
• Shall assess the event to determine if it is an
  oil pollution incident
• Immediately inform all States whose interests are
  affected or likely to be affected by such an
  incident
• Provide details of its assessment, action taken
  or likely to be taken to deal with incident
• Provide further information as appropriate until
  response to incident is concluded

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NATIONAL AND REGIONAL SYSTEMS FOR PREPAREDNESS
AND RESPONSE

• Each party shall establish a national system for
  responding promptly and effectively to oil
  pollution incidents, including
• The competent national authority with
  responsibilities for oil pollution preparedness,
  and response
• The national operational contact point
  responsible for receipt and transmission of oil
  pollution reports
• An authority entitled to act on behalf of the
  State to request assistance or decide to render
  assistance required

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NATIONAL AND REGIONAL SYSTEMS FOR PREPAREDNESS
AND RESPONSE (cont)

• Each party shall establish a national system for
  responding promptly and effectively to oil
  pollution incidents, including
• A national contingency plan for preparedness and
  response
• A minimum level of pre-positioned oil spill
  combating equipment, commensurate with the risk
• A programme of exercises for oil pollution
  response organizations and training of staff

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NATIONAL AND REGIONAL SYSTEMS FOR PREPAREDNESS
AND RESPONSE (cont)

• Each party shall establish a national system for
  responding promptly and effectively to oil
  pollution incidents, including
• Detailed plans and communication capabilities for
  responding to an oil spill incident
• A mechanism to co-ordinate the response to an oil
  spill incident

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INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATION AND TECHNICAL
COOPERATION

• Parties are to co-operate and provide advisory
  services, technical support and equipment for the
  purpose of responding to an oil pollution
  incident, when the severity of such incident so
  requires upon request of any party affected or
  likely to be affected
• Subject to capability and availability of
  resources
• Parties are to take necessary administrative /
  legal measures to facilitate the arrival and
  utilization in and departure from its territory
  of ships, aircraft, and other modes of transport
  engaged in responding

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INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATION AND TECHNICAL
COOPERATION (cont)

• These measures should also apply equally to
  expeditious movement into, through and out of its
  territory of personnel, cargoes, materials and
  equipment
• OPRC make provision for technical co-operation
  to
• Train personnel
• Ensure availability of technology, equipment
• Initiate joint research and development
  programmes
• Facilitate measures to prepare for incidents

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STATE OF READINESS

• SA partly compliant to OPRC by
• Designation of SAMSA
• Designation of MRCC
• Completion of National Contingency Plan
• Availability of Stand by Tug

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LEVELS OF RESPONSE IN NATIONAL CONTINGENCY PLAN

• There are three tiers of response
• A Tier 1
• This is a small spill and most common type that
  occurs usually during ship bunkering
• The containment, clean-up and rescue of
  contaminated fauna can be dealt with within the
  boundaries of the vessel, berth or a small
  geographical area where the incident has no
  impact outside the operational area but poses a
  potential emergency condition

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LEVELS OF RESPONSE IN NATIONAL CONTINGENCY PLAN

• A Tier 1 level of response
• Tier 1 spill can be contained and cleaned-up by
  the ship, terminal or port authority staff using
  their own resources

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LEVELS OF RESPONSE IN NATIONAL CONTINGENCY PLAN
(cont )

•  
• A Tier 2 level of response
• A response required is beyond the capabilities
  of the ship or terminal operator
• The containment or clean -up requires the use of
  some of or all the government and industry
  resources
• The incident is usually associated with shipping
  activities in ports or harbours, estuaries,
  coastal waters, pipelines, tank failures or near
  shore explorations and production operations
•  

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LEVELS OF RESPONSE IN NATIONAL CONTINGENCY PLAN
(cont)

•  
• A Tier 3 level of response
• A response required is beyond the capabilities
  of a national response
• It is usually a large spill which has the
  probability of causing severe environmental and
  human health problems The response requires
  assistance from other African States and/or
  specialised overseas response organisations. Such
  incident becomes a major international affair
  involving almost every aspect of government

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