Reporting Ship Sourced Pollution
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Educational resources and information
Prevention of Pollution from Ships
National Maritime Emergency Response Arrangements
AMSAs Role in Maritime Environmental Issues
Register of Local Fuel Oil Suppliers
Activities in States and the Northern Territory
Victoria
Significant Incidents
On 13 July 2003 Marine Safety Victoria (MSV) were notified by AMSA that the crew aboard the container ship P&O Nedloyd Botany had identified "warm containers" on board while on route to Melbourne. The container temperatures were monitored at almost 60 deg C, which is above the normal expected temperature for containers.
Initially the contents of the containers were unknown and arrangements were made for the vessel to go to anchorage in a designated area in Port Phillip Bay for hazardous vessels. MSV liaised with the Melbourne Harbour Master, Victorian Channels Authority Harbour Control, Department of Infrastructure Security and Emergency Management, Port of Melbourne Corporation, Country Fire Authority (CFA) and Metropolitan Fire Brigade (MFB) to monitor and control the situation.
Prior to the ship entering Port Phillip Bay, it was advised that the container held dishwashing powder that should have been refrigerated below 30 deg C. CFA officers boarded the ship with the pilot at Port Phillip Heads and liaised with MFB officers in Melbourne during the passage into berth at Swanson Dock.
The containers were subsequently unloaded under MFB supervision and placed on the dock to cool down. No further action was required.
In February 2004 the container ship Maersk Toba accidentally spilled about 4000 litres of bunker fuel into the waters of Swanson Dock at the Port of Melbourne. The spill occurred when the vessel's trim altered during off-loading operations. Fuel from one of the ship's service tanks escaped through a broken overflow pipe. Quick action by the stevedore alerted Harbour Control to the incident and a response crew from Oil Response Company of Australia (ORCA) was quickly deployed to the scene. Containment, recovery and clean up of the spill were effected over three days.
New or Updated Contingency Plans
The review and rewrite of the Portland, Gippsland, Port Phillip and Western Port Regional Marine Pollution Response Contingency Plans is expected to be completed during the first half of the 2004-2005 financial year.
Training
During the period MSV provided 21 courses including Introduction to Oil Spill Response, Equipment Operator, Equipment Operator Refresher, Shoreline Clean up and Shoreline Clean up Refresher. The introduction and refresher courses were delivered in each of Victoria's four marine pollution response regions and the operator courses at ORCA's facility at North Williamstown. Attendance for all courses was high with the Introduction to Oil Spill Response and Shoreline Clean up averaging more than 20 attendees per course and the remainder achieving more than 15 students on each course.
Victoria also sponsored a member of the MFB and a member from the CFA to attend AMSA's Chemical Spill Response course held in Gladstone in June 2004.
Exercises
A discussion exercise in relation to chemical response was conducted in September 2003. There were two scenarios in association with crude benzene. The first scenario involved an incident with a chemical tanker alongside while the second was when the tanker was under way. The participants were broken up into three groups each to deal with scenario one while scenario two was discussed in plenary. A number of valuable lessons were learnt such as information management and crisis decision making.
New South Wales
Significant Incidents
The only incident of significance was the Eurydice incident.
Sydney Ports Corporation (SPC), as combat agency, worked with other State agencies and AMSA to deal with the tanker Eurydice which had reported an oil slick astern of the vessel on Saturday 14 February 2004.
The Eurydice was scheduled to discharge a cargo of light crude oil at the Shell Terminal at Gore Cove. Whilst it was about six nautical miles off the coast it reported having oil sheen behind the vessel. SPC requested the vessel to stay at least 15 nautical miles off the coast while the matter was investigated.
Divers inspected the bottom plating of the vessel the next morning and found a 15 cm hairline crack. An aerial surveillance flight on Sunday confirmed the presence of an oil sheen on the starboard side and astern of the vessel.
On Sunday afternoon personnel from SPC, NSW Waterways Authority, AMSA, the vessel's representatives and P&I insurers met to assess the situation and develop appropriate response plans. The ship was requested to pump sea water into the leaking tank, to act as a water seal, and spend time manoeuvering in order to flush out any traces of oil that may have been trapped under the vessel.
For most of the week, sea conditions were unsuitable for divers to re-inspect and photograph the crack. However, conditions were calm enough on Thursday 19 February for divers to confirm that the oil had stopped leaking. They were also able to apply a temporary patch and magnetic seal over the crack. The surveillance flight also confirmed there was no oil on the water surface.
While plans were being developed to bring the vessel into either Sydney Harbour or Botany Bay, SPC negotiated insurance indemnities, for contingency purposes.
By early Friday morning, 20 February, all conditions had been met for the vessel's entry into Sydney Harbour. It proceeded to the Gore Cove berth, escorted by four tugs, two Water Police boats and the SPC's Emergency Response Division tug. It discharged its cargo and departed on Monday 23 February.
On 11 December 2003, oil was reported approximately five nautical miles off Disaster Bay by a fisherman. Over the next few days, small globules of what appeared to be heavy fuel oil were located along the coastline between the Victorian border and Tathra in NSW. Two oiled penguins were captured and cleaned and there was a report of another five slightly oil penguins being observed but not captured.
New or Updated Contingency Plans
Port contingency plans were updated as follows:
Sydney - July 2003
Yamba - August 2003
New South Wales Plan - October 2003
Eden - December 2003
Newcastle - February 2004
Port Kembla - April 2004
The NSW Guidelines to Assess a Request for a Place of Refuge were reviewed in June 2004.
Training
A Marine Oil and Chemical Spill Response course was presented to Newcastle Port Corporation on 18 to 20 May 2004. It was attended by representatives of Federal and State agencies, local port facilities and the Corporation. A training exercise combining desk top and field responses was undertaken in conjunction with the course.
Sydney Ports Corporation (SPC) provided training for their staff on equipment familiarisation, shoreline assessment and oil spill investigation procedures.
Exercises
On 4 December 2003, the NSW National Plan Technical Working Group held a chemical spill tabletop exercise. The scenario was based on a sulphuric acid and benzene spill from a vessel approaching the bulk liquids berth in Botany Bay. Representatives from AMSA and ten key NSW agencies attended the exercise. AMSA assisted in preparation and facilitated the exercise for NSW.
During the period, SPC held equipment deployment exercises at the Bulk Liquids Berth in August 2003, the Shell Gore Cove oil terminal in December 2003 and the Caltex Kurnell oil refinery in April 2004.
On 9 and 10 December 2003 Port Kembla Port Corporation and the Royal Australian Navy held an oil spill exercise at HMAS Creswell base at Jervis Bay. The main aim was to test the Navy's Jervis Bay Oil Spill Response Plan. Twenty six personnel from 11 State and Federal agencies participated with the Navy in the exercise, responding to a hypothetical spill of about 100 tonnes of heavy fuel oil from a trading vessel.
The Port of Yamba held its annual equipment deployment exercise at Goodwood Island Wharf on 1 December 2003 and the Port of Eden's deployment exercise was held on 12 February 2004.
Equipment Acquisition
SPC purchased 500 metres of GP 500 boom, 300 metres of GP 750 boom and 300 metres of Vikoma Hi Sprint boom. SPC also purchased a 13 tonne capacity Heila Marine Crane for deployment of marine and Emergency Response Division equipment and chemical spill suits for their four Fire Fighting Support Vessels.
Oil Spill Response Atlas
In accordance with the Data Preservation Plan, the NSW Oil Spill Response Atlas (OSRA) underwent its annual upgrade which included:
- the continuation of mapping the intertidal and subtidal habitats;
- updating of navigation aids;
- updating of boat mooring areas;
- new Shoreline type themes for Botany Bay;
- enhancement of the oblique aerial photo theme with inclusion of additional photos of estuary mouths; and
- replacing the black and white satellite imagery with colour imagery of the coastline and estuaries.
South Australia
Significant Incidents
A 300 tonne displacement tug the New Endeavour, that had been converted into a sailing vessel (unsurveyed and uninsured) mysteriously keeled over and sank on 13 February 2004 in No 1 dock basin Port Adelaide. The vessel began leaking oil and Transport SA staff responded and successfully cleaned up the area. In spite of plugging the breather pipes there was still a small quantity of oil leaking. Due to legal problems with the owner, the vessel has still not been salvaged but is expected to be refloated early in 2005.
New or Updated Contingency Plans
South Australia's Contingency Plan has been reviewed and is now ready for an audit with AMSA. The State Chemical Contingency Plan will be included in the same document.
Training
Due to a major restructure in Transport SA and shortage of human resources, the planned training program schedule could not completed. One Advanced Operators course was held in Adelaide with 17 persons attending.
Exercises
A chemical desktop exercise was held with representation from all government agencies. AMSA staff were invited as observers and advisors. Several issues were raised and they are gradually being addressed with the assistance of the South Australian Metropolitan Fire Service (SAMFS). Mr Zenon Splawinski, a SAMFS officer, has been appointed Chairperson of NPOG's Chemical Working Group.
Another desktop scenario was conducted on Places of Refuge. It was an exercise conducted to ensure responsibilities of various government agencies in such an emergency. It is planned to conduct a practical exercise in the beginning of 2005.
Equipment Acquisition
No major equipment was purchased during the reporting period. A Memorandum of Understanding is being drafted between Transport SA and AMSA for the storage and maintenance of Tier 2/3 equipment.
Tasmania
Significant Incidents
On 1 December 2004 the barge Kulanda collided with the fishing vessel Petuna Endeavour whilst manoeuvring at the wharf at Strahan on Tasmania's west coast.
Approximately 3500 litres of diesel fuel was spilled from the Petuna Endeavour. No National Plan equipment was required to be used in the response to this incident.
Legislation
A Bill to give effect to the following amendments to the Tasmanian MARPOL legislation, the Pollution of the Waters by Oil and Noxious Substances Act 1987, has been drafted and is currently awaiting consideration by the Tasmanian Parliament:
- Addition of several new regulations to give effect to Annex IV of MARPOL relating to discharge of sewage from ships;
- Broadening the definition of "approved interpreter" for the purposes of investigating possible offences;
- Providing for more rapid intervention by authorities in major incidents where there is grave or imminent pollution danger;
- Providing the Director of Environmental Management, who is also the Chairperson of the statutory State Marine Pollution Committee, with authority to decide whether the Committee requires a wider representation to respond to a particular incident;
- Providing that it is not necessary for the Director of Environmental Management to convene a meeting of the State Marine Pollution Committee to respond to an oil spill of less than 10 tonnes where there is no serious threat or danger.
New or Updated Contingency Plans
The Tasmanian Oil Spill Wildlife Response Plan is currently being reviewed.
Port Deeds
Deeds have been signed with the Devonport and Launceston Port Companies which formally define, inter alia, the respective roles of those Companies and the State Government in relation to ship-sourced pollution response.
Queensland
Significant Incidents
In the twelve months to 30 June 2004, Maritime Safety Queensland (MSQ) received reports of 82 pollution incidents. Most reported incidents occurred with port limits (67%) or in adjacent coastal waters (32%). Only one incident was reported outside of Queensland coastal waters but within MSQ's area of operations as Combat Agency under the National Plan.
The most significant incident to occur during the year involved a 42 metre hopper dredge, the Karma which ran aground approximately 10 kilometres south of Agnes Waters on 14 November 2003.
The Karma was carrying over 6,000 litres of pollutants and presented a significant threat to the local marine environment. The threat was averted when an oil spill response team from MSQ's Gladstone region removed all pollutants from the ship. The ship was removed from the beach by salvage contractors on 24 December 2003.
Prosecutions
There were four successful prosecutions under the Transport Operations (Marine Pollution) Act 1995 (TOMPA) and associated regulations in 2003-2004. Fines ranged from $1,000 to $32,000 and highlights included:
- The first successful prosecutions against a chief engineer on board a ship under TOMPA. TOMPA was amended in November 2001 to include liability for a crew member of a ship, as well as the existing liability of the owner and master of a ship. The liability only attaches when the crew member is considered to have contributed to the oil spill occurring. The amendment is intended to capture a situation where the master has no knowledge of the circumstances giving rise to a spill, but the crew member does. The chief engineer of the ship Warden Point was convicted and fined $1,000, plus $1,500 in costs, for his role in contributing to a spill of fuel oil in Gladstone Harbour on 17 April 2002.
- A prosecution was conducted against an international oil company when one of its ships, the Sericata, spilled a small quantity of crude oil into the Brisbane River on 30 June 2001. The court considered that the crew ought to have been especially vigilant given that another oil spill occurred from the same ship in Victoria only weeks before. The owner of the ship was convicted and fined $32,000 and ordered to pay $1,191.30 in discharge expenses and $1,500 in professional costs.
- Two prosecutions were conducted against commercial fishing vessels. Both cases involved relatively small quantities of diesel fuel being spilled. Both spills arose out of carelessness, and the fines ranged from $1,000 to $5,000.
These prosecutions reflect MSQ's commitment to ongoing protection of the State's marine and coastal environment.
New or Updated Contingency Plans
MSQ worked closely with various port authorities and State and local government agencies to develop new first-strike oil spill response plans for the ports of Maryborough, Mackay, Townsville, Cooktown and Quintell Beach and the pilotage area of Port Douglas. The new planning approach adopted by MSQ will eventually see all port specific oil spill contingency plans become succinct appendices to the Queensland Coastal Contingency Action Plan.
Training
The most significant development in training provided by MSW was the introduction of competency based training for first-strike response personnel. In addition to meting National Plan standards, the Oil Spill Responder Level 3 course now being offered by MSQ fits within the Australian Quality Training Framework and provided more certainty as to the skill and competency of course participants. A summary of all oil spill response training delivered by MSQ is shown below.
| Course | Location | Trainees |
|---|---|---|
| Introduction to Oil Spill Response | Brisbane x 3, Bundaberg, Mackay, Cairns, Townsville, Karumba, Skardon River and Gold Coast | 195 |
| Oil Spill Responder Level 3 | Brisbane x 3, Bundaberg, Mackay, Cairns, Townsville, Karumba, Skardon River, Gold Coast and Thursday Island | 139 |
| Oil Spill Response - Train the Trainer Workshop | 13 |
|
Total Trained |
347 |
|
Exercises
MSQ conducted a number of small desktop and field exercises to test oil spill contingency planning arrangements in the ports of Brisbane, Bundaberg, Mackay, Cairns, Townsville, Karumba, Skardon River, Thursday Island and the Gold Coast. These exercises, which were associated with the delivery of oil spill response training, enabled response personnel to familiarise themselves with the planning and operational aspects of oil spill response in their local port environment.
MSQ and the Port of Brisbane also jointly conducted a large multi-agency oil and chemical spill discussion exercise in Brisbane in November 2003.
Equipment Acquisition
No significant items of oil spill response equipment were purchased by MSQ.
Administrative Changes in State Response Arrangements
A key element of MSQ's marine pollution prevention and response program for 2003-2004 was the endorsement of the Oil Pollution First-Strike Response Deeds between MSQ and Queensland port authorities for 16 of the State's 19 trading, non-trading and community ports.
Under the terms of the deeds, MSQ is responsible for oil spill contingency planning in ports, for delivering competency based training to port authority personnel and for the overall management of ship-sourced oil spills in all coastal waters. Queensland port authorities have agreed to provide trained personnel for adequate first-strike response and to own, store, maintain and replace first-strike response equipment for use within ports.
Western Australia
Significant Incidents
A 39 metre, 500 tonne fishing vessel, Atlantic Seal, broke its anchor chain on May 2003 and ran aground on a beach at Rockingham. The vessel was carrying approximately 14 tonnes of fuel and six tonnes of oily bilge water.
There were a number of sensitive resources in close proximity to the vessel's location. Plans were developed and equipment was deployed to mitigate these risks. The Marine Environment Protection Unit of the Department for Planning and Infrastructure carried out the salvage and removal of the vessel. There was no loss of pollutants to the surrounding environment.
New or Updated Contingency Plans
A State level Marine Transport Emergency Management Plan has been instituted by the Marine Environment Protection Unit. It aims to coordinate the response to multi agency maritime emergencies that involve the activation of a number of emergency management plans. Such an emergency might concurrently involve a request for a place of refuge, personnel rescue, oil and hazardous chemical pollution, fire aboard, port security issues and other agencies.
Training
WA has adopted Maritime Safety Queensland's competency based training standards and has delivered the Level 1 Introduction to Oil Pollution Course to 289 students in 17 locations around the State. The Level 3 Advanced Equipment Operator Course will be provided in 2004-2005.
The State Response Team was exercised in equipment deployment on 11 occasions.
Exercises
The annual Dampier Port Authority marine pollution response exercise "Pilbara Peril", was conducted in late July 2003. This included a desktop chemical and oil spill and a marine search and rescue exercise involving a number of agencies as well as a practical equipment deployment. The State Oil Pollution Response Team was involved in this exercise along with the Department's Marine Environment Protection Unit.
A combined tabletop tactical and equipment deployment exercise was conducted in Bunbury in July and is the forerunner of a plan to conduct two such exercises each year.
Equipment Acquisitions
The Department for Planning and Infrastructure has designed and purchased 120 metres of a lightweight inshore boom manufactured in Perth. The boom has recently been deployed in the Fremantle fishing boat harbour. The Department has also purchased and modified a 5.5 metre aluminum boat for oil spill response and has modified a 6 metre response trailer to contain first-strike pollution response gear. Personnel protective equipment for the State Response Team was also purchased during the reporting period.
Administrative Changes in Western Australia
The Marine Environment Protection (MEP) Branch is part of the Marine Safety Directorate of the Department for Planning and Infrastructure. An additional position has been created and the Branch now holds a Manager, an Environmental Officer, a Training Officer and an Equipment Officer. Provision has also been made to recruit a recent science graduate for one year to assist the Environmental Officer with the completion of several projects.
Under a forthcoming re-structure the MEP Branch will consist of a Coordinator, two Environmental Officers and a Training and Response Officer. There will be a new Manager Safety and Environment covering a number of marine safety areas in addition to environment protection.
Northern Territory
Significant Incidents
There were no significant oil spills in NT waters over the 2003-2004 reporting period.
New or Updated Contingency Plans
The NT Committee approved the development of an Action Plan for the NT Oil Spill Contingency Plan. Contact lists of NT contingency plans have been updated.
Training
A total of 92 persons attended marine pollution response training in Darwin and Groote Eylandt over the reporting period:
- Thirty nine persons attended equipment operator training;
- Sixteen persons attended pollutant sampling training;
- Twenty one persons attended authorised officer training; and
- Sixteen persons attended fixed wing dispersant training.
Exercises
The NT carried out a Chemplan Desktop Exercise. Representatives from the Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Environment, NT Fire and Rescue Service, Navy, port operators, oil companies and Perkins Shipping attended the exercise.
Equipment Acquisition
The NT acquired no additional equipment in 2003-2004.
last updated: 21 February 2005