Northlanders were invited to a public meeting in Whangarei to hear what preparations the region has in place to deal with marine oil spills This is the presentation.

1. Oil spill preparedness & response:
Northland Marine Oil
Spill Contingency Plan
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2. Overview: NZ oil spill system
 Maritime Transport Act 1994
 Three tiered approach:
 TIER 1: Industry or Local
 TIER 2: Regional (Tier 2)
 TIER 3: National – Maritime NZ
 All tiers must have Contingency Plans
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3. Tier 1 Response
 Responsibility: industry and oil companies
 Principle responsibility: prevent further
pollution, contain and clean up
 Site-specific: vessel refuelling operations or
fixed refuelling facilities (boat stops)
 Plan: describes spill contingency procedures,
equipment for clean up, etc
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4. Tier 2 Response
 Responsibility: Regional Council, through
Regional On-Scene Commander (ROSC)
 Spill: exceed capability of local site (or)
spiller not known
 Principle responsibility: prevent further
pollution, contain and clean up in accordance
with plan
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5. Tier 2 Response
 Recent examples include:
 refuelling, bilge spills
 fishing vessels aground
 ship yard accidents
 mechanical problems with shipping
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6. Seawyf
Doubtless Bay, March 2008
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7. Viking II
November 2003
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8. Tiger III
December 2004
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9. Tiger Lily III
December 2004
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10. Kumea II
August 2008
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11. Kumea II
August 2008
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12. Kumea II
August 2008
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13. Kumea II
August 2008
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14. Kumea II
August 2008
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15. Tier 3 Response
 Responsibility: Maritime New Zealand
 Spill: exceed the capability of region
 Due to size, cost, complexity or
environmental risk
 National On-Scene Commander assumes
control
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16. Tier 3 Response
 Resources: utilises national equipment and
resources
 National Response Team: 60 responders,
along with 350 trained staff from other
regions
 International assistance: utilise people and
resource from overseas, if required
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17. Regional Contingency Plan
Response escalation Tier 2 to Tier 3:
 Significant cost of cleanup – guideline figure
of $250k
 Beyond regional capability
 If spill will be of national significance
 Maritime NZ National On-Scene Commander
can declare Tier 3
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18. Funding and compensation
The Oil Pollution Levy:
 paid by all shipping, fishing and oil exploration industries, at
a rate proportional to the risk
 pays for both spill response and Regional training
The ‘polluter pays’ principle:
 Where possible all costs sought from spiller. Resource
Management Act prosecution, civil Liability and
compensation allowed for; compulsory insurance.
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19. Role of Regional Council
 Maintain regional oil spill response
contingency plan
 Prepare annual business plan for training,
equipment storage, exercises and
maintenance
 Approve and check Tier 1 sites
 Maintain Tier 2 response capability
 Direct and manage Tier 2 response
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20. Regional Contingency Plan
 Contingency Plan consists of three parts:
 Operational section
 National Plan chapters – generic throughout NZ plans
 Regionally specific information on equipment, personnel,
sensitive areas, communication information
 Dynamic living document requiring formal
review every three years
 Regional response requires trained local
personnel
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21. Trained personnel
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22. Regional Contingency Plan
Personnel trained, including others:
 Regional On-Scene Command (ROSC): 3
(command and control)
 Specialist Managers: 8
 Shore Clean-up Assessment (SCAT): 5
 Field Operators (OSR): 35
 Oiled wildlife response: 4
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23. Training and exercises
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24. Regional Contingency Plan
Exercises:
 Each year two exercises – one equipment
and one combined field/desktop
 Purpose is to test Plan
 Available staff from 60 trained responders:
Northland Regional Council, Refining NZ, NorthTugz,
Department of Conservation, Northport and other
agencies
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25. Resources
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26. Regional Contingency Plan
Resources:
 Maritime NZ equipment stored at
Marsden Point and Opua
 Rapid response trailer in Whangarei
 Regional Council vessels: Waikare, Tai-Ao,
Gemini and Lazercraft
 Oil Recovery Vessel: Taranui
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27. Regional Contingency Plan
Waikare:
 council work vessel, capable of deploying
200m of Ro-Boom
 operational working platform
 hi-ab crane, two tonne and winch
 designed and practiced at on-water boom
deployment and recovery
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28. Waikare deploying boom
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29. Regional Contingency Plan
Taranui:
 Purpose designed oil recovery vessel
 Onboard storage 4500 litres
 Skimming arms with oil pumping and
transfer abilities
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30. Taranui
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31. Regional Contingency Plan
Memoranda of Understanding with:
 Northport
 Refining New Zealand
 NorthTugz
 Department of Conservation
 Details resources, plant and equipment
available and charge out rates
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32. Dispersants
 Minimises effects before oil reaches shoreline
 Enhances natural degradation in water column
 Effective in areas with good water depth and
water exchange
Will not use near shellfish beds, fish spawning
or aquaculture areas, or near seawater intakes
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33. Dispersants
 Oil must be dispersible: cannot be used for
Heavy Fuel Oil (ship bunkers) or heavy crudes;
good on light to medium crudes and diesel
 4,200 litres stockpiled at Marsden Point
 Recommended dispersant rates based on oil
volumes and area covered (1:20)
 Applied by air or vessel depending on location
and slick size
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34. Dispersants
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35. National Response Team
 A number of Northland people on National
Response Team
 Attend additional national training and
exercises
 Attend tier 3 responses
 Attend and learn from overseas responses
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36. Pacific Adventurer
Sunshine Coast, March 2009
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37. BP Horizon
Gulf of Mexico, April 2010
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38. Rena – Bay of Plenty
 Northland response staff involved since
response started – in various operations,
public relations and wildlife roles
 Valuable lessons will be implemented in
Northland
 Clean-up methods and managing response
will be of huge benefit to Northland
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39. Rena
Bay of Plenty, October 2011
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40. Rena
Bay of Plenty, October 2011
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41. Rena
Bay of Plenty, October 2011
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42. Rena
Bay of Plenty, October 2011
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43. Lessons Learnt:
Poor Knights Islands
 Declared ‘Mandatory Area to be Avoided’
 Took effect 1 December 2004
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44. Lessons Learnt:
Dynamic Under Keel Clearance
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45. Lessons Learnt:
Dynamic Under Keel Clearance
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46. Port & Harbour Safety
Pilotage:
 Administered by Maritime NZ under
Maritime Rule part 90
 Rule specifies training, qualifications,
experience
 Training manual approved by Maritime NZ
 Ongoing training and peer review required
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47. Port & Harbour Safety
Pilotage:
 Maritime Rule part 90, just reviewed
 New provisions for simulator and bridge
management refresher training
 New provisions for examining and
certification
 Harbourmaster examines and peer reviews
pilots
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48. Conclusion
Key points:
 3 tier system
 Regional Plan – well resourced
 Collaborative arrangements – inter-agency
and nationally
 National response for large incidents
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49. Questions?
Jim Lyle
Regional Harbourmaster
0800 002 004
jiml@nrc.govt.nz
www.nrc.govt.nz
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