MV BLUEFIN QUALITY MANUAL - Australian Maritime College

Australian Maritime College
• In ports (other than oil terminals) and within the three-mile coastal waters limit.
The responsible State/Territory authority through the National Plan State Committee,
with assistance from AMSA as required.
• Beyond the three-mile coastal waters limit.
The Commonwealth through AMSA, except in those incidents when oil is likely to
come ashore. In these circumstances, the State/Territory through the National Plan
State Committee will be the lead authority for protecting the coastline while AMSA
assumes responsibility for the ship operational matters, such as salvage.
• In the REEFPLAN area of the Great Barrier Reef.
The Queensland Government through the National Plan State Committee, with
assistance of AMSA as required.
20.5 National Plan Operations
The National Plan operations are based on a three-tiered response arrangement as
follows:
• Tier 1
Small local spills, less than 10 tonnes.
Such incidents are usually associated with ship transfer or bunkering operations at a
jetty, pier or mooring and around waterside storage tanks.
• Tier 2
Medium spills, local or at some distance from operational centres, 10 to 1000 tonnes.
These incidents are typically associated with shipping incidents in ports or harbours,
estuaries or coastal waters, but could be near-shore exploration and production
operations.
• Tier 3
Large spills, greater than 1000 tonnes.
This covers major incidents, normally involving oil tankers or other vessels having
large amounts of bunker oil.
20.6 Oil Spill Response
In the event of an oil spill from the vessel, the response will be as per the vessel’s
Shipboard Contingency Plan (Chapter 2) and SOPEP Manual.
Chapter 1: MV BLUEFIN Safety Management Plan Page 39 of 46
Revised: November 2010