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“EMSA’s Activities on Oil Pollution Preparedness and Response”

Alexandros LAGOUROS

Project Officer for Pollution Response

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Framework for Pollution Response

Legal basis: Regulation 724/2004 (O.J. 29th April, 2004)

Administrative Board: 21st/22nd October 2004

EMSA to:

– Provide ‘technical and scientific assistance in the field of ship-sourced pollution’ and

– ‘support on request with additional means in a cost efficient way the pollution response mechanisms of Member States’

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Action Plan: Overall Strategy

Immediate Focus:– At-sea response to spills of Heavy Oil

Future Phasing-in:– “Chemical” Spills (HNS)

3 Themes of Action Plan:

– Operational Support– Co-operation and Co-ordination– Information

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Operational Support

Upon request, assist Member States with:

– On-site technical and scientific advice

– “Top-up” Member States response capacity– Oil Recovery vessels…

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High Priority Areas in European Union

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Framework for EMSA Spill Response Resources

• The Agency resources should be a ‘reserve for disasters’ to assist Member States responding to an incident beyond national capabilities.

• The Agency resources must be under the command and control of the affected Member State.

• The resources should be provided in a cost efficient manner.

• The resources should be ‘state of art’.• The recovery technique should be tailored to spills of

heavy grades of oil.

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EMSA’s ‘State of the Art’ Oil spill Response Arrangements

At-sea Oil Recovery Services

Contract Value in Euros

The Baltic Sea Arrangement

4,050,000

The Atlantic and Channel Arrangement

8,500,000

The Mediterranean Arrangement

3,850,000

Operational Fund 2,280,000

Overall Total 18,680,000

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Strengthening the Network of European Stand-by Oil Recovery VesselsOpen Call to Tender: OP/01/2006

Total Budget for project:• € 17.5 million

Geographical Areas:• Atlantic and Mediterranean• Contracts divided into lots

Contract Duration:• 3 years: January 2007-

December 2009• Contract can be renewed

once

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Operational Support:

Response Techniques and Equipment Selection – Classification of OPR equipment– “Operational” Manual

Future Phasing-in of HNS Activities– Identification of Agency’s role/contribution at EU level

Improving Slick Surveillance– Satellite Imagery to support MS activities– Operational Focus (not R&D)

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Co-operation and Co-ordination

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Co-operation and Co-ordination:

Regional Agreements

Contact Meetings with Secretariats

Meetings REMPEC Focal Point MeetingOTSOPA (Bonn Agreement)HelCom “Safety of Navigation and Response” Conference “Dispersants” Workshop & HelCom Response Group

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Co-operation and Co-ordination:

Regional Agreements

Exercises UK NCPNorway NCPMediterranean 2005 (Spain/France/Italy/Monaco)

“Arca”, Netherlands &“Argonaut”, France

Medexpol Cyprus Balex Delta 2005

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Co-operation and Co-ordination:

DG Environment

General Meetings Regional Agreements & IMO OPRC-HNS Technical Group

Community Framework forCo-operation

MCMP meetingsHELMEPA Workshop

Mutual Support of Initiatives

HELMEPA Workshop results @EMSA “Reflections on the Response Chain” workshop

EGEMP(Satellite Mon. & Assess. of Sea-based Oil Poll.)

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Information: Website - www.emsa.eu.int

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Information:website-www.emsa.eu.int

DocumentsOil Pollution Response

– NEW! 2006-Prior information notice for service contracts for anti-pollution ship services, published in the Official Journal the 20/1/2006: click here

NEW! Information Note: Stand-by Oil Recovery Vessels for Europe

2005-Call for Expressions of Interest for service contracts for stand-by oil spill recovery vessel(s), published in the Official Journal the 5/3/2005: click here 

EMSA Action Plan for Oil Pollution Preparedness and Response– Updated! EMSA Inventory of Member States Oil Pollution Response

Capacity     EMSA Inventory of Member States Policies on Dispersant Use

– Pollution Response Library - Documents  / Hyperlinks – Large Tanker Spills since 1984 - Links– Workshops / Meetings– News Alert Links – Contact us 

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Information: www.emsa.eu.int

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Information:website-www.emsa.eu.int

DocumentsOil Pollution Response

– NEW! 2006-Prior information notice for service contracts for anti-pollution ship services, published in the Official Journal the 20/1/2006: click here

NEW! Information Note: Stand-by Oil Recovery Vessels for Europe

2005-Call for Expressions of Interest for service contracts for stand-by oil spill recovery vessel(s), published in the Official Journal the 5/3/2005: click here 

EMSA Action Plan for Oil Pollution Preparedness and Response– Updated! EMSA Inventory of Member States Oil Pollution Response

Capacity     EMSA Inventory of Member States Policies on Dispersant Use

– Pollution Response Library - Documents  / Hyperlinks 

– Large Tanker Spills since 1984 – Links – Workshops / Meetings– News Alert Links – Contact us 

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Large Tanker Spills since 1984 

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Large Tanker Spills since 1984 

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Information

Website– www.emsa.eu.int

Incidents Database– EMSA Accident Investigation Database

Dissemination of “Best Practise”– Discharging of Oil Recovered At-sea– EMSA “Reflections on the Response Chain” Workshop

– “Inventory” of Dispersant Policy in Member States– Dispersant “Operational” Manual– EMSA Workshop: “Dispersants”

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Thank You

www.emsa.eu.int