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National Marine Chemical Spill Contingency Plan

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About the National Marine Chemical Spill Contingency Plan (Chemplan)

The revised National Marine Chemical Spill Continengency Plan, known as Chemplan, endorsed by all Commonwealth/State/Northern Territory Governments and the chemical industry has recently been released. The plan forms part of the arrangements under the National Plan to Combat Pollution of the Sea by Oil and Other Noxious and Hazardous Substances.

Chemplan is designed to give effect to the International Protocol on Preparedness, Response and Co-operation to Pollution Incidents by Hazrdous and Noxious Substances 2000. This instrument was developed by the International Maritime Organisation and provides a framework for international co-operation in establishing systems for preparedness and response at the regional, national and international levels.

The revised Chemplan sets out clear definitions of the responsibilities of the Commonwealth, States/NT and industry.The Plan also provides additional focus on communications and includes more information on responding to chemical spills from containers. It further reflects the adoption of the Incident Control System (ICS) as the National Plan management structure used during response operations.

It outlines how the combined resources of the Commonwealth, State/NT Governments and the chemical, plastics, shipping and exploration industries may be activated to respond to the threat posed to Australia, it's population and the marine environment by discharges of bulk or packaged dangerous goods and chemicals from vessels.

Arrangements for support services through the Plastics and Chemical Industry Associations (PACIA's) Chemsafe Emergency Management Program are enhanced to include the land based Transport Incident Management Service, Material Safety Data Sheet Database, the Emergency Response Division Service and advice on specific chemical products and manufacturers.

AMSA has established and maintains a number of chemical information databases related to the response to marine sourced chemical spills. These include; plume modelling software; a bulk chemical cargo decision support system; MSDS databases; the IMDG Code; the INF Code; databases containing physical and chemical properties of substances; the behaviour of chemicals spilled at sea and a range of other marine related spill response systems.

Prescribed procedures and information required to implement the chemical spill response provisions of the National Plan and relevant State/NT contingency plans have also been updated.

AMSA conducts three levels of Chemical Spill Response training, these are; senior management; middle management; and, operator level. This training program recognises the overall technical complexity of managing a marine pollution response.

The notification of maritime spills and activation of these support and response systems are co-ordinated through the AMSA 24hr/7 day a week AusSAR Maritime Duty Officer. Phone (02) 6230 6811, Fax (02) 6230 6868. Emergency Freecall 1800 641 792 or email.

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