You are here: Home >

Activities in States and the Northern Territory

National Plan to Combat Pollution of the Sea by Oil and other Noxious and Hazardous Substances
Annual Report 1998/99

Victoria

Significant Incidents

There were no major spills in Victoria during the reporting period.

There were 88 minor marine pollution incidents reported throughout the state. It was established that 19 spills originated from vessels, although in many cases, the offending vessel could not be identified. A further 20 spills originated from land with oil being carried into the marine environment by drains or other means. In the other 41 cases, the source was not determined and a further eight cases did not involve oil.

Clean up action was necessary in 58 of these incidents. Included in the 88 incidents, there were four spills of significance. These were:

Overfilling of a tank onboard a bunker barge in Holden Dock (Port of Melbourne) causing a small bunker fuel spill. Product was boomed off and recovered by absorbents. Absorbents were also used to clean adjacent shoreline.
The grounding of a commercial fishing vessel caused a small spill of diesel and engine oil leaking from a damaged hull. The vessel was boomed off and absorbents used to clean up leaking product.
A palm oil spill from a commercial vessel in the Port of Melbourne. Product was boomed and recovered as it solidified.
Heavy fuel oil spill in Swanson Dock.

Local Training

During the year over two hundred personnel from a wide variety of agencies have undergone training. Courses included oil spill response management, foreshore clean up strategies, administrative support and equipment operation.

Equipment Acquisition

Victoria acquired no major items of response equipment during the year other than equipment supplied under the National Plan.

Exercises

Regional desktop exercises designed to familiarise personnel with the new Incident Control System were held in each of the four regions.

Coastal Resource Atlas (CRA)

Development of the Oil Spill Response Atlas for the State’s coastline has continued during the year with grants from the National Plan.

[back to top]

New South Wales

Significant Incidents

There were no major marine pollution incidents in New South Wales during 1998–99.

Local Training

The Department of Transport developed an Investigation and Prosecutions Workshop in association with Sydney Ports Corporation, Abbott Tout Solicitors and the Department’s Barrister Mr Alun Hill. The purpose of developing this course was to ensure that the ports have access to the knowledge needed to effectively undertake an investigation and a successful prosecution. The course was presented on 20 April 1999 to port corporation personnel from throughout NSW.

On 12 April 1999, AMOSC conducted a 1-day Oil Spill Management Workshop at the Shell Refinery. Shell management team members and Sydney Ports Corporation (SPC) personnel attended this course. In addition, two 2 day Oil Spill Response Courses were presented and attended by 42 Refinery and SPC staff, including management and operators. These courses included field training at both the terminal and the refinery.

Newcastle Port Corporation (NPC) held an Oil Spill Response Course at Newcastle from 19–21 May. It incorporated a half-day equipment deployment exercise. Foreshore Assessment and Clean up Workshops were conducted in Newcastle (16 September), Port Macquarie (30 March) and Ballina (2 June). NPC also developed a Marine Oil Spill Response Workshop specific to Lord Howe Island and this was presented from 7–10 December.

Port Kembla Port Corporation (PKPC) conducted a Foreshore Assessment and Clean up Workshop in Illawarra from 28–29 July.

SPC conducted an in-house training program that consisted of 10 different modules of differing levels designed specifically for its work group teams.

Equipment Acquisition

New South Wales acquired no major items of response equipment during the year other than equipment supplied under the National Plan.

Exercises

As part of the District Contingency Planning Program a number and range of exercises were held throughout the coastal region.

A combined exercise of the Twofold Bay and the NSW Far South Coast Plans was held on 25 May 1999. This hypothetical discussion exercise was attended by 35 people representing both local and Victorian agencies and AMSA. A hypothetical discussion exercise combining the Port Kembla and the Illawarra Region Plans was held on 8 June 1999.

An equipment deployment and call out exercise for the Twofold Bay and the NSW Far South Plans was also held from 21-23 October 1998. An equipment deployment exercise was held at Eden on 21 October 1998, another was conducted with Defence Marine Services at Jervis Bay on 16 December 1998 and another was held at Huskisson on 2 May 1999 for the benefit of local response agencies.

Newcastle Port Corporation held desktop exercises for the Northern Rivers Plan in Ballina on 30 September, Mid North Coast Plan in Coffs Harbour on 10 March and Hunter Plan in Port Stephens on 6 May.

On 20 October SPC held a major chemical emergency exercise to test the Port Botany Emergency Plan and on 16 November the local Disaster Plan was exercised with a major oil and chemical emergency at the Caltex Kurnell refinery. Activation of the Marine Disaster Plan and the City of Sydney Disaster Plan was tested with a hypothetical incident on a chemical tanker at berth in the Sydney CBD.

In August and April the Caltex Kurnell Oil Spill Response Team held field exercises in Botany Bay with deployment of Trojan and Beach Guardian booms and skimmers. A tabletop exercise in October was followed by a major field exercise of the same scenario in November involving a multi agency field response and operation of the Kurnell EOC.

New or Updated Contingency Plans

The final draft of the NSW State Waters Marine Chemical Incident Plan has been endorsed by the NSW State Emergency Management Committee.

The Twofold Bay Marine Oil Spill Contingency Plan was finalised and a cross border response agreement with Victoria for oil spill response was signed on 25 May 1999.

Coastal Resource Atlas

No significant changes were made to the CRA during this year.

[back to top]

South Australia

Significant Incidents

A Tier 2 spill of approximately 230 tonnes of Oman Crude Oil occurred at Port Stanvac on 28 June 1999, when a breakaway coupling in the discharge line parted, after completion of cargo operations. A major aerial assault with dispersants was mounted. Twenty-six tonnes of dispersant was applied by utilising the Fixed Wing Aerial Dispersant Capability. A further 9 tonnes of oil was recovered with the Dip Skimmer "Mullo". The main elements of the beach clean up were completed by Saturday 3 July 99.

South Australian Authorities responded to a further 28 other minor spills and sightings during the year. This was a significant reduction on previous years.

Local Training

Three Equipment Operator courses were held during the year at Port Lincoln and Adelaide, with a total of 60 persons being given instruction in the deployment of National Plan and State equipment.

Equipment Acquisition

In addition to the equipment supplied under National Plan funding as indicated in the earlier section on Equipment, the following equipment was acquired using State funding:

A full suite of Satellite communication equipment
8 Marine VHF portable radios

Also during the reporting period an Emergency Operations Centre was established at Glanville Dockyard. The facility is fully equipped with communications and living quarters.

Exercises

There were no exercises conducted during the reporting period.

New or Updated Contingency Plans

The South Australian Marine Spill Contingency Action Plan (SAMSCAP) passed audit by AMSA and EMA and was distributed as a controlled copy to relevant stakeholders.

[back to top]

Tasmania

Significant Incidents

There were no major marine pollution incidents in Tasmania during 1998–99.

Local Training

The Department organised an Administrative Support Coordinators course in Devonport on 19 November 1998, which was followed by a deployment of National Plan equipment held at the Port of Devonport.

Administrative Changes to State/NT Response Arrangements

Following the resignation of Dr Ian Woodward in June 1998, Mr Warren Jones became the Chair of the State Marine Pollution Committee following his appointment as Director of Environmental Management in the new Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment.

This Department was formed by the amalgamation of the former Department of Environment and Land Management and the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries with the Government Analytical and Forensic Laboratories on 18 September 1998.

Mr Jones is also the General Manager of the Environment, Planning and Scientific Services Division in the Department.

On 28 May 1999 a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment and the Tasmanian Fire Service to ensure that Tasmania will be able to discharge its responsibilities under the National Plan in relation to noxious and hazardous substances.

The Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment retains overall responsibility for achieving the objectives of the National Plan in Tasmania.

Equipment Acquisition

Tasmania acquired no major items of response equipment during the year other than equipment supplied under the National Plan.

Exercises

A State organised exercise (Exercise "Martin Cash") was held on 14 October 1998 in Hobart.

The exercise was preceded by a briefing for all participants on 13 October 1998 and was followed by a full debriefing on 15 October 1998.

The broad objective of the exercise was to test all organisations which would be involved in a response under the National Plan arrangements in Tasmania without the actual deployment of equipment.

The post exercise report identified some areas where further attention is required and the State Marine Pollution Committee is now addressing these.

New or Updated Contingency Plans

The following action is proceeding under the strategic plan for the period 1999–2001, which has been developed by the State Marine Pollution Committee:

A media guidelines plan is expected to be finalised in July 1999.
The revision of the oiled wildlife response plan and aquaculture/fisheries oil response plan is scheduled for completion by the end of calender year 1999.

The revision of the Tasmanian Marine Oil Pollution Plan, to incorporate ICS and HazMat issues, is scheduled for completion by the end of calender year 2001 in accordance with National Plan requirements.

[back to top]

Queensland

Significant Incidents

During 1998 there were 108 reported sightings of oil slicks in Queensland and Great Barrier Reef waters. While the majority of these sightings were small slicks of non-persistent oils, all were responded to in an appropriate manner. The two most significant incidents involved the product tanker Palmerston and the bulk carrier Pernas Amang.

The Palmerston was involved in a cargo unloading incident, which resulted in the discharge of approximately 8 tonnes of lubricating oil into the Brisbane River on 21 August 1998. The physical response to the oil spill was completed in a timely manner and the matter is expected to go to court with a view to prosecution in September 1999.

The Pernas Amang was involved in an incident that resulted in a discharge of 45 litres of heavy fuel oil near Hay Point on 19 August 1998. The case was heard in the Brisbane Magistrates Court on 24 and 25 June 1999 when the owners were fined $20,000 and ordered to pay costs of $6000. The owners had previously paid clean up expenses of approximately $15,000.

Local Training

The Maritime Division’s Marine Environment Protection Unit coordinated the training of 397 personnel in various facets of oil spill response during the 1998–99 financial year. Training courses offered by the unit included seven Equipment Operator Workshops, two Advanced Equipment Operator Workshops, two Shoreline Clean up Workshops and four Investigations Workshops.

Equipment Acquisition

In addition to equipment supplied under National Plan funding as indicated in the earlier section on Equipment, the following equipment was acquired using State funding:

18 towable storage bags
6 portable decontamination stations
6 heavy oil transfer pumps
1 Marco Q28 oil recovery vessel

Exercises

A contingent of 35 members of Maritime’s oil spill response team joined with colleagues from AMSA, the Royal Australian Navy, AMOSC, Cairns Port Authority, the National Response Team (NRT) and local industry to participate in the On Water Display associated with Spillcon 98 in Cairns on 19 August 1998. The deployment was an excellent training opportunity that allowed all involved to hone their practical response skills in a cooperative and informative environment.

Exercise "Richmond", a joint Queensland/New South Wales field exercise to test "Border Plan" was conducted at Ballina on 28 April 1999. Oil spill response personnel from Brisbane and the Gold Coast worked with colleagues from NSW in response to the scenario based on an oil slick impacting the Richmond River at Ballina.

New or Updated Contingency Plans

Updated editions of the Queensland Coast Contingency Action Plan, Safe Havens Guidelines and the Mooloolaba Harbour Oil Spill Contingency Plan were issued during the year.

[back to top]

Western Australia

Significant Incidents

During 1998–99 there were 44 marine oil pollution incidents reported to the Department of Transport. All were minor discharges of less then 400 litres with the exception of 3 that are detailed below:

July 1998 - Dampier Spirit spilled approximately 15 tonnes as a result of a hose separating in rough conditions. Weather dispersed the resultant slick.
November 1998 - Albany USS Elliott spilled approximately 1 tonne of oil whilst bunkering. Oil was dispersed using vessels and BP-AB dispersant.
December 1998 - Nedlloyd Brisbane whilst underway spilled approximately 10 tonnes. There was no response required.

Local Training

The Department of Transport conducted 5 Equipment Operators courses and 5 Foreshore Clean up course with a total of 120 participants.

An Administrative Support Coordinators Workshop was conducted by AMSA in Karratha with 25 participants.

The Department of Transport is providing an ongoing program of equipment deployment training to enhance the skills of the teams in the restructured work force of the Fremantle Port Authority.

Administrative

The Western Australian State Combat Committee engaged a consultant to carry out a review of National Plan Arrangements within the State. The final report was received on 29 June and a plan to address the recommendations is being developed.

Equipment Acquisition

Western Australia acquired no major items of response equipment during the year other than equipment supplied under the National Plan. Fremantle Port Authority cleaned and repaired their 300 metres of Expandi boom, which has been placed on the Rotopac returning the 300 metres of National Plan Expandi to the main stockpile.

Exercises

A desktop exercise "Pinnacle" was held in November for the Fremantle Port Authority.

An industry exercise "Chelonia" was held in January prior to the commencement of a drilling program adjacent to the boundary of the Ningaloo Marine Park near Exmouth. Assistance was sought from the State Committee to assist in arranging the exercise, in umpiring and debriefing. Some equipment was deployed from a tender vessel during the exercise.

New or Updated Contingency Plans

The Western Australian Marine Oil Pollution Emergency Management Plan was updated in January 1999. Plans are being developed to completely rewrite the plan and to introduce the ICS structure to this and related plans as soon as possible.

[back to top]

Northern Territory

Significant Incidents

There were no major marine pollution incidents in the Northern Territory during 1998–99.

Local Training

No local training courses were conducted during the reporting period.

Administrative Changes to State/NT Response Arrangements

The Operations Manager/Harbour Master with the Darwin Port Authority has been appointed Chairman of the NT Committee.

The Marine Branch of the Department of Transport and Works is no longer conducting Equipment Operator Courses. Arrangements are in place for the Northern Territory University to provide this course.

Equipment Acquisition

The Northern Territory acquired no major items of response equipment during the year other than equipment supplied under the National Plan.

Exercises

A desktop exercise was conducted in August 1998. The exercise involved a crude oil tanker grounding in the Vernon Islands. Warren Springs equipment was deployed on the tug Mataranka in Darwin Harbour. The Control Centre was set up at the Berrimah Police Centre.

[back to top]

last updated:
18 June 2001