Marine Pollution Control Unit

Marine Pollution Control Unit
Name	Marine Pollution Control Unit

Marine Pollution Control Unit

The Marine Pollution Control Unit provides specialized response, mitigation, and liaison functions for maritime contamination incidents, coordinating with Maritime and Coastguard Agency, Environment Agency, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Port of London Authority, Port of Sunderland, Royal Navy, Royal Fleet Auxiliary, Coastguard Rescue Service and other maritime stakeholders. It interfaces with regional authorities such as Scottish Environment Protection Agency, Natural Resources Wales, Northern Ireland Environment Agency and international partners including International Maritime Organization, European Maritime Safety Agency, North Atlantic Treaty Organization, United Nations Environment Programme to manage oil spills, chemical discharges, and hazardous debris.

Overview

The unit originated to meet needs highlighted by incidents like the Amoco Cadiz and Torrey Canyon disasters and evolved alongside regimes such as the MARPOL Convention and protocols from the International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage. It operates in contexts influenced by events including the Braer incident, the Sea Empress grounding, and responses to tanker accidents affecting regions like the English Channel, North Sea, Irish Sea and Atlantic Ocean. The unit collaborates with specialized organizations such as the Salvage Association, International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation, Oil Companies International Marine Forum, Wildlife Trusts, RSPB and Blue Marine Foundation.

Organization and Structure

Structured to integrate operational, scientific, legal and logistical functions, the unit liaises with agencies such as the Health and Safety Executive, Met Office, Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Marine Management Organisation and Natural England. Command relationships mirror incident command systems used by HM Coastguard and naval task groups from the Royal Navy and United States Navy during joint exercises. Regional coordination involves ports and harbour authorities including Port of Rotterdam Authority, APM Terminals, Port of Felixstowe and local authorities like Greater London Authority and Liverpool City Council.

Roles and Responsibilities

Primary responsibilities include containment and clean-up for events affecting shipping lanes, terminals and offshore installations such as platforms owned by BP, Shell plc, TotalEnergies, Equinor and Chevron Corporation. The unit provides technical advice to insurers represented by firms like Lloyd's of London and consults with salvors including Smit Internationale and SMIT Salvage as well as legal entities applying conventions including the International Convention on Salvage and Bunker Convention. It assists conservation bodies such as WWF, Greenpeace, Surfrider Foundation and Marine Conservation Society during wildlife impact assessments.

Equipment and Capabilities

Assets include skimming systems, containment booms, dispersant application platforms, and remote sensing tools integrated with resources from European Space Agency satellites, Copernicus Programme, Sentinel satellites, airborne assets from Met Office partners and unmanned systems modeled on platforms used by Ocean Infinity and Kongsberg Gruppen. Laboratory support is provided via networks including Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science and university partners like University of Plymouth, University of Southampton, University of Aberdeen and University of St Andrews. Logistic and salvage coordination leverages commercial fleets such as Maersk, CMA CGM, Hapag-Lloyd and tug operators like Svitzer.

Training and Exercises

The unit conducts training aligned with international exercises such as INTERTANKO drills, NATO maritime environmental response exercises, European Maritime Safety Agency pollution exercises and national multi-agency exercises coordinated with HM Coastguard, Ministry of Defence, Fire and Rescue Service brigades including London Fire Brigade and Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service. Training partners include the International Maritime Organization training programs, naval schools like Britannia Royal Naval College and civilian institutes including Seasafe and professional bodies such as the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management.

Notable Operations and Incidents

The unit has been pivotal in responses to high-profile incidents influenced by historical cases such as Exxon Valdez and modern events near offshore energy zones like the Forties oilfield and windfarm projects exemplified by Hornsea Wind Farm. Operations often involve coordination with international salvage efforts seen in incidents like Hyundai No.105 and container losses resembling MSC Napoli, and environmental litigation referenced against entities involved in the Prestige oil spill and Erika oil spill.

Legal Framework and International Cooperation

Activities are governed by instruments including MARPOL 73/78, the London Convention, London Protocol, International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage 1969, and the Ship-source Pollution Fund (Bunkers) regimes, with enforcement interfaces involving bodies such as Crown Prosecution Service, Maritime and Coastguard Agency prosecutions, and cross-border mechanisms under European Union frameworks and bilateral memoranda with states like France, Norway, Iceland and Ireland. The unit engages with international legal forums including the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea and collaborates on standards from organizations such as ISO and IMO.

Category:Marine pollution control