Oil Spillage
Contingency Plan –
County Kerry
Mick Boyce, S.E.E.,
Environment Department,
Kerry County Council.
Thanks to :
Conor Culloo;
 Vincent Hayes;
 SEA-PT (Hugh Conlon).
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Incidents (Kerry) :
Ranga (1980) – Slea Head;
Celestial Dawn (2002) – Dingle Harbour;
Fidelma (2002) – Inish na bro (Blaskets).
Purpose of the Plan :
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A guide to aid in the coordination of response to
a marine-based Oil/HNS incident;
To guide responders through the actions and
decisions required to mount an effective
response to a marine-based Oil/HNS incident;
A guide to limit/mitigate the effects of such an
event.
Background Context :
Legal requirement to produce appropriate
plan (Sea Pollution Act);
 Number of marine-based incidents around
the coast of Kerry;
 SEA-PT and Harbour Board plans already
in place.
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Background Context (Contd.) :
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County Oil Pollution Officer [COPO] in place
(me!) – appointed by Manager’s Order;
Large KCC stock-pile built up over many years
(TVH);
Members of SEA-PT;
In-house experience (previous incidents, training
etc.)
Plan preparation options:
 Outsource;
 In-house.
Decision criteria :
 Budgetary considerations;
 Data gathering/local knowledge;
 Availability of in-house knowledge and expertise;
 Use of standard IRCG format (generic format and data).
Final Decision : In-house
Initial Stages of Plan preparation :
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Staff member assigned to prepare the plan;
In-house group established to oversee the
project ;
Internal and external consultations (state
agencies and departments, NGOs etc.) - limited
response;
Data gathering (assets at risk etc.);
Literature review (availability of generic
material).
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Format : standard IRCG template;
Coverage : coastline (seashore) within the
functional area of Kerry County Council
(excluding SEA-PT and Harbour Board areas);
Preparation timeframe : approx. 3 months;
On-going review by implementation group during
period of preparation of plan;
 Submission
of various drafts to
IRCG.;
 Approved by IRCG in May, 2012;
 Lifespan : 5 years;
 Annual up-date/review.
Main Elements of the Plan
Part 1 - Strategy
Relationship with other plans :
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SEA-PT & Harbour Plans;
Major Emergency Plan etc.
Roles & Responsibilities (including
Internal command structure):
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Local Authority (Shoreline Response);
IRCG etc.
Risk Assessment :
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Sensitive Coastline (SAC, SPA, Shellfish, Blue
Flag...);
Marine traffic (fishing, leisure, commercial
traffic etc.);
Wide variation in coastline types;
Tourism reputation etc.
Response Strategies and Plans :
What are we dealing with (classification :
type of Oil/HNS)?
 How much (quantification)?
 How will it behave in the marine
environment (fate and likely destination)?
 How might we deal with it (containment
and recovery options)?
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Tiered Response :
Tier 1 : Background and minor operational
spills resulting in shoreline pollution which
can be dealt with by the relevant local
authority or harbour authority.
Tier 2 : Small-scale incidents where local
authority may require mutual aid in order
to initiate and maintain a shoreline
response
Tier 3 : A large spill where substantial
further resources may be required and
support from national government is
necessary through the implementation of
the National Contingency Plan (NCP).
Training & Exercise Policy :
 What training is to be undertaken (SEA-PT
exercises, IRCG courses);
 Training records.
Scenarios
Part 2 - Actions
Response procedures :
 Plan activation;
 Notification formats (who to contact, when
and how).
Health & Safety :
 Risk assessments;
 Safe work procedures,
 Safety Data Sheets etc.
Waste Management :
 Options for waste minimisation (eg.
removal of debris etc.);
 Identification of potential temporary
storage sites etc. (technical amendment to
landfill licence.);
 Details of waste contractors etc.
Part 3 – Data Directory
Contact Directory :
 Current contact details for all relevant
people and organisations etc.
Resource Directory :
 Inventory of equipment etc.
Part 4 – Cost Recovery
Insurance Options :
 P & I Clubs, Standard Insurance Policies etc.
Financial Control :
 Record keeping (what costs are being incurred
and on what basis);
 Procurement procedures (eg. materials, plant &
equipment etc.).
Part 5 – Annexes
Includes :
 Copies of neighbouring plans;
 Shoreline Protection Strategy (1997) –
site-specific booming plans etc.
Issues :
 Time-consuming;
 Approval by IRCG;
 On-going review (keep up-to-date);
 Designation of COPO & Deputy COPO.
General Issues :
 Large document;
 Do neighbouring plans talk?
 One national plan versus plethora of county/harbour
plans?
 24-hour response?
 Training?
Inland incidents
 Regular occurrences;
 Separate (shorter) emergency response
procedures.
Short (16 pages);
o Drinking Water Incident Response Plans;
o “A Field Guide to Inland Oil-Spill Clean-up
Techniques” – CONCAWE (1983);
o Need for national guidance!
o
Thank You