Marine Environment Protection

Reporting Ship Sourced Pollution

National Plan

Place of Refuge Guidelines

Educational resources and information

Major Oil Spills in Australia

Prevention of Pollution from Ships

National Maritime Emergency Response Arrangements

AMSAs Role in Maritime Environmental Issues

Register of Local Fuel Oil Suppliers

Torres Strait PSSA

World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) Initiative

Marine Pollution Emergency Response Division Support System (MPERSS)

The WMO in conjunction with IMO and UNESCO have established a framework for a global Marine Pollution Emergency Response Division Support System (MPERSS). In July 1998 an International Conference and Workshop (MARPOLSER 98) was held in Australia to progress the development of this international maritime emergency support system.

AMSA and the Australian Bureau of Meteorology presented key note papers to the conference.

National Meteorological Services are traditionally called upon to provide a range of meteorological and oceanographic data and services to support operations in response to various marine pollution emergencies, normally working closely with national response agencies like AMSA and State/NT transport organisations when incidents occur in territorial waters or the EEZ.

To ensure similar services are available in developing countries and international waters WMO in 1994 established MPERSS. This system has been designed to provide a coherent, internationally coordinated approach to the provision of meteorological and oceanographic services worldwide to marine pollution incidents no matter where and when they happen.

The objectives of the MARPOLSER 98 conference/workshop was to:

  1. Review the nature and types of marine pollution emergencies which may occur, as well as the clean up and other operations which may be required in response;
  2. To clearly define the types and scope of meteorological data and services which are required to support these operations, including pollution transport and dispersion models;
  3. To provide guidance and technical support for those national Meteorological Services with responsibilities defined under MPERSS to develop their support activities to the highest level;
  4. To provide a forum for the service providers to interact with the service users - national marine pollution Emergency Response Division organisations or equivalent - on the types and structure of the services required, delivery modes, time and space scales, etc.

AMSA presented two key note papers at MARPOLSER 98:

Australia's responsibilities under MPERSS cover the geographic area designated under NavArea X.

Further details of MPERSS initiated by IMO/WMO/UNESCO can be provided on request from AMSA via email Environment Protection 

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last updated: 9 October 2005