New Zealand oil spill response strategy - Maritime New Zealand

On-scene commander (OSC)
The person responsible for the control and management of the marine oil spill clean-up at Tier 2 or
Tier 3. A regional on-scene commander (ROSC) is appointed by the relevant regional council (Tier 2),
and the national on-scene commander (NOSC) is appointed by the Director (Tier 3).
Oil transfer site
Includes any land, site, building, structure or facility (whether on land or above the sea) that is used to
transfer oil, or at or from which oil is transferred, to, or from, a ship or offshore installation (refer to
section 281 of the Act). Note: Facility is considered here to include mobile transfer sites such as
vehicles.
Persistent oil
Oils and petroleum products such as crude oils, fuel oils and lubrication oils that, when spilt, remain
after weathering in a residual form in the environment for an appreciable period.
Place of refuge
A place where a vessel can safely anchor or berth to enable measures to be taken to forestall or
minimise the effects of damage (e.g., to minimise the leakage of oil). Also known as a ‘safe haven’.
Prevention of a marine oil spill
Any action taken during the normal operation of a ship, offshore installation, pipeline, or oil transfer
site to lower the likelihood of a marine oil spill occurring.
Regional Councils
All the regional councils, plus those unitary authorities (District Councils) with the powers and functions
of a regional council. They are:
Northland Regional Council, Auckland Regional Council, Environment Waikato, Environment Bay of
Plenty, Gisborne District Council, Hawke’s Bay Regional Council, Horizons (Manawatu-Wanganui
Regional Council), Taranaki Regional Council, Wellington Regional Council, Marlborough District
Council, Tasman District Council, West Coast Regional Council, Nelson City Council, Southland
Regional Council, Canterbury Regional Council, Otago Regional Council, Chatham Islands Council.
Regional Marine Oil Spill Contingency Plan
A marine oil spill contingency plan prepared by a Regional Council and approved by the Director
under section 292 of the Act 1994. It is sometimes referred to as a Regional Plan.
Rescue Co-ordination Centre New Zealand (RCCNZ)
National service centre operated by Maritime New Zealand, which provides a 24-hour alert for maritime
incidents and accidents, including oil spills, search and rescue, at sea collisions, etc.
Response escalation criteria
The factors and issues to be taken into account when determining whether or not it is appropriate for a
lower tiered incident to be declared to be and managed as a higher tiered response (i.e., local Tier 1,
to regional Tier 2, or national Tier 3 response).
Risk
An index of values derived from assessment of possible oil spill scenarios, where the risk equates to
the probability of a particular event occurring, multiplied by a value that represents the magnitude of
the impact that the event would create.
Risk = Probability x Consequences
Safe haven
See ‘place of refuge’.
Shipboard Oil Pollution Emergency Plan (SOPEP)
A plan prepared under Marine Protection Rules which implements the MARPOL 73/78 requirements, to
specify the measures to be taken in respect of an oil spill from the ship. Sometimes referred to as a
shipboard plan or SOPEP.
Site Marine Oil Spill Contingency Plan
A plan prepared under Marine Protection Rules for any oil transfer site or pipeline which specifies the
measures to be taken in respect of a marine oil spill. Sometimes referred to as a Site Plan.
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