PLACE OF REFUGE

M/T Erika and M/T Castor

Erika (Dec 1999) Castor (Dec 2000)

Gibraltar

M/T Prestige

IMO Resolutions

A.949(23) Guidelines on Places of Refuge for Ships In Need of Assistance

A.950(23) Maritime Assistance Services (MAS)Maritime “911 System”

Erika, Dec 1999

Castor, Dec 2000

Prestige, Nov 2002

Congressional call for National POR approach..

• Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2005, June 2005• Called for comprehensive and effective process for PoR, and

report annually

• SEC. 301. PLACE OF REFUGE.– (a) IN GENERAL- Within 12 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the United States Coast Guard, working with

hazardous spill response agencies, marine salvage companies, State and local law enforcement and marine agencies, and other Federal agencies including NOAA and EPA, shall, in accordance with the recommendations of the United States Commission on Ocean Policy in its final report,

• develop a comprehensive and effective process for determining whether and under what circumstances damaged vessels may seek a place of refuge in the United States suitable to the specific nature of distress each vessel is experiencing.

– (b) REPORT- The Commandant of the Coast Guard shall transmit a report annually to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure describing the process established and any cases in which a vessel was provided with a place of refuge in the preceding year.

– (c) PLACE OF REFUGE DEFINED- In this section, the term `place of refuge' means a

• place where a ship in need of assistance can take action to enable it to stabilize its condition and reduce the hazards to navigation and to protect human life and the environment.

National Response System

National Response

Team

Regional Response Team

Area Committee

National

Regional RCP

NCP

Area ACP

National Level

• A process that is:– Risk based - probability & consequences– Transparent – Repeatable

• Build public confidence• Enable officials to defend their decisions

• Draft - Navigation & Vessel Inspection Circular (NVIC)

U.S. Approach

• Pre-survey possible Places of Refuge• NOT pre-determine

• Pre-determination could trigger National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)

Regional Level

• RRTs advised to:

• Review planning activities of their respective Area Committees to:

• Ensure that risk is evaluated consistently across the region

Pre-PlanningPre-Planning

Should be part of the planning Should be part of the planning process, don’t wait for an eventprocess, don’t wait for an event

When an event occurs, Unified When an event occurs, Unified Command can verify/modify earlier Command can verify/modify earlier workwork

Coordinate with RRT to ensure logical Coordinate with RRT to ensure logical and consistent processand consistent process

turtles

porttourist resort

marine sanctuary

COTP 2COTP 1

• Coordination among COTPs / FOSCs

• Coordination with RRT

Area Committee

• Workshops– Maritime stakeholders– Federal & State agencies– NGOs

• Considered unique Sector Delaware Bay Decision Making Guide (prior to NVIC)– Oil, Chemical, Radiation, Terrorist event

Decision Making Guide

• NVIC– Policy Guidance: Area, District, Sector – Safe Refuge or vessel events from a variety of risks

• Rapid Salvage Survey – Used when seeking salvage engineering assistance

• Place of Refuge Checklist– Situational assessment

• Risk Evaluation Job Aid– Evaluate probability and consequences of options

Lowest Risk Option

Workgroup

• Reviewed Draft NVIC• Reviewed Sector Delaware Bay Tools

– Anchorages – Facilities

Anchorages• Characteristics

– Maximum length– Maximum draft– Holding ground– Booming possibility

• Proximity to:– Municipalities– Population– Industry– Maritime infrastructure– Environmentally sensitive areas – Staging areas– Military facilities– Historic, public areas, marinas – Other

Facilities• Characteristics

– Type of facility– Maximum length & draft

• Location– Municipality

• Proximity to:– Population– Industry– Maritime infrastructure– Environmentally sensitive areas – Staging areas– Military facilities– Historic, public areas, marinas

Convening workgroup

Grounding / Beaching

• Need to identify location(s)– What criteria?– Least harm?– One/two/three?– Off NJ– Off DE

ToolsChecklist Details

• Purpose is to gather information needed to make decision on POR.

• Links to MSC/SERT, NPFC, ASA, etc• Notifications to trustees• Run spill trajectories for current location

and for any POR’s under consideration

ToolsToolsRisk Based Decision Aid DetailsRisk Based Decision Aid Details

Risk based decision matrixRisk based decision matrix Risk = Probability x ConsequencesRisk = Probability x Consequences Relies on Subject Matter experts and Relies on Subject Matter experts and

stakeholders to do evaluationstakeholders to do evaluation

Probability Details

• How likely, (%) are additional injuries, vessel damage, grounding, collision, or other bad things will happen if the vessel is taken to a given POR, left in place, or continues its voyage

• Evaluation should be made by pilots, professional mariners, salvage masters, etc.

Consequences

• What will be the impact if the situation DOES worsen?– Human Health and Safety– Natural Resources– Economic Impact

• Evaluation done by trustees and public safety officials

Human Health and Safety

• Considers threat to:– Vessel crew– Salvage and response personnel– General Public

Natural Resources

• Threatened and Endangered Species• Subsistence use species• Sensitive (but not TAE) species• Commercial species• Recreational use species• Habitat • Historic/cultural resources

Economic Impacts

• Maritime commerce and shipping• Commercial fishing/aquaculture• Marine tourism/recreational activities• Non-marine related activities

Place of Refuge

• Includes Excel table to “do the math”• Individual scores for each POR option,

and each consequence type• Choose the lowest combined risk score,

unless common sense dictates otherwise

Probability Score

Health and Safety

Natural Resources

Economic Impacts Total Risk

Place of Refuge A 0.25 14 13 7 34

Place of Refuge B 0.05 6 5 3 14

Continue Voyage 0.75 168 156 84 408

Repair in Place 0.75 336 312 168 816

Scuttle 0.9 806 749 403 1958

Ground 0.6 77 38 38 154

Risk by Consequence Type

Sector Delaware Bay

• NVIC• Rapid Salvage Survey • Place of Refuge Checklist• Risk Evaluation Job Aid• Sector Delaware Bay Information

– Anchorages, Facilities, Grounding locations

Question

When was the last time a vessel requested safe refuge, anywhere in the world, that made the news?

Questions?

M/V NAPOLI

Days Ago