Description

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency, is an Agency of the Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions. The Agency is responsible for developing, promoting and enforcing high standards of marine safety, minimizing loss of life amongst seafarers and coastal users, responding to maritime emergencies 24 hours a day, minimizing the risk of pollution of the marine environment from ships and where pollution occurs, minimizing the impact on UK interests

The Agency is run by the Chief Executive and has 2 directorates, the Directorate of Maritime Safety and Pollution Prevention (MSPP) and the Directorate of Maritime Operations (DMO). The Director of DMO is the Chief Coastguard and is based at the MCA's headquarters in Southampton. The Director's responsibilities include branches that specialize in, Counter Pollution, Search and Rescue, Ship Survey and Inspection, and Enforcement of Merchant Shipping legislation. The Chief Coastguard is supported by the Head of Operations (HOO) who manages these branches on a day to day basis.

The Counter Pollution Branch (CPB) maintains stockpiles of equipment for responding to pollution incidents at sea and pollution that beaches. Contractors manage, maintain, store and mobilization the equipment. The at-sea stockpile is based at Milford Haven (south Wales), the beach cleaning equipment is mainly located at Southampton (south coast) and Inverness (Scotland).

The CPB manages contracts for the provision of both surveillance and dispersant spraying aircraft. The surveillance aircraft, Cessna 406 and a Cessna 404, are fitted with Sideways Looking Airborne Radar (SLAR), Ultra Violet (UV), InfraRed (IR) and visual sensors. The 406 is based at Coventry (central mainland UK) and the 404 at Inverness.

The spraying aircraft are Lockheed Electras both based at Coventry. Each aircraft can carry 15 tonnes of dispersant. In addition there is a Cessna 406 equipped with a spray pod carrying 1.5 tonnes of dispersant, based at Inverness. And there are 2 helicopter underslung spray pods each with a capacity of ~1 tonne based in north Scotland.

Following a review of the provision of emergency towage requirements conducted by the MCA (this report is available on MCA's website) 4 Emergency Towing Vessels (ETVs) were chartered and put on station on the 1st October 2001. They are based in the South West Approaches, the Dover Straits, the Minches and the Northern Isles.

The MCA has divided the UK's coastline into 4 regions, Scotland and Northern Ireland, Western, Eastern and Southern. Each region has a Marine Rescue Coordination Centre and a number of Marine Rescue Sub Centres. Within each region there is a Principle Counter Pollution and Salvage Officer (PCPSO).

Following reviews of 2 major pollution incidents, Sea Empress (1996) and the Braer (1993), in January 2000 the CPB issued a new National Contingency Plan (NCP), published on MCA's website (mcga.gov.uk). The NCP describes the command and control to be implemented in a nationally significant incident where there is a threat of, or actual pollution. This command structure includes the role of the newly created Secretary of States Representative (SOSREP), the control centres, Salvage Control Unit (SCU), Marine Response Centre (MRC) and the Shoreline Response Centre (SRC), and the advisory Environment Group (EG).

Salvage Control Unit
The SCU's role is dealing with the casualty. It is headed by SOSREP. Other members of the SCU may include the Salvage manager, the Harbourmaster, a representative of the shipowner/insurers, a PCPSO, and an Environmental liaison officer (ELO).

Marine Response Centre
The MRC responds to at sea pollution this response may involve, assessing and monitoring, dispersant spraying, mechanical recovery and cargo transfer. The MRC is headed by the HOO who will be supported by a PCPSO, other members of CPB as appropriate, a fisheries department officer, a Local Authority officer, a press relations officer and an ELO.

Shoreline Response Centre
The Local Authority most affected by the pollution heads the SRC. Staff from the CPB and an ELO will support the SRC. A Scientific and Technical Operational advice note (STOp) covering the operation of an SRC can be found on the MCA's website.

Environment Group
Through its ELOs the EG supports all three control units. It is available to give advice on all environmental matters and in this way the response by the SCU, MRC and SRC can be conducted in an environmentally sensitive manner. A STOp notice explaining the role of the EG can be found on MCA's website.

The Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Co-operation (OPRC) convention to which the UK is a signatory has been enacted into UK legislation. There is now a requirement for ports, harbours, oil facilities and offshore operations that meet set criteria to produce an oil spill contingency plan. The MCA's HOO reviews and accepts these plans.

Administrative contact point

Head of Counter Pollution Branch
Bay 1/09
Spring Place
105 Commercial Road
Southampton
SO15 1EG

Tel 0044 23 8032 9525
Fax 0044 23 8032 9485

Location Stockpiles

At-sea: Milford Haven
Shoreline: Southampton and Inverness

Emergency numbers

The coastguard can be reached on the UK's emergency number 999.

Operational contact point

Maritime and Coastguard Agency
Falmouth Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre
Pendennis Point
Castle Drive
Falmouth TR11 4WZ
United Kingdom

Telephone +44 (0) 1326 317 575
+44 (0) 1326 318 342