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 Sustainability Strategy Commitments
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UKOOA Sustainability Strategy 2002 - First Report
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3. Protecting the Environment
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3.3 Managing Environmental Impacts
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Commitment No. 49 - Oil spill prevention: shipping operations
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Shipping oil and its products is carried out by companies independent of those undertaking exploration and production on the UKCS (see Section A for an explanation of the structure of the industry). Although some of these belong to the same parent companies to which the exploration and production businesses belong, they operate as completely independent entities.
The regulation and supervision of shipping follows international and regional or local laws, conventions and standards. It is undertaken by:
- the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), a United Nations body,
- the international Classification Societies (Lloyds Register, Det Norske Veritas, American Bureau of Shipping among others),
- the flag states in which ships are registered, and,
- the states through whose waters ships pass or whose ports ships visit.
The Oil Companies International Marine Forum (OCIMF) in London represents oil companies interests in marine transport and is primarily concerned with safe conduct of these operations and prevention of pollution.
When shipping accidents or mishaps occur, the environmental impact can be very large out of all proportion to the oil spills from our own operations upstream. We are committed to the following actions:
- We will improve the understanding of our respective roles and responsibilities by clarifying the structure of the overall industry and our position within it, adding this to the UKOOA web site during 2001.
- We will build on the existing dialogues with OCIMF to further develop ways of reducing hydrocarbon spillage.
- Using our influence in the supply chain we shall endeavour to ensure that the shipping operations that relate to our UK operations are conducted to proper standards and in accordance with the law, to prevent or minimise the risks posed by the spillage of hydrocarbons.
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Progress to date : achievements and difficulties encountered
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The appropriate text explaining the roles and responsibilities of the different industry bodies has been added to the UKOOA web site.
The key body for UKCS operators with regard to potential oil spills from shipping is the Oil Companies International Marine Forum (OCIMF). OCIMF continue to contribute towards the safety of the industry focusing on two areas:
- The production of technical and operational guidelines on critical safety and environmental issues that serve as benchmarks for the industry. Over this recent period this has included the production of guidelines for the training of marine terminal operators and the publication of good practice guidelines on escort towing and high powered tugs
- The addressing of concerns about low quality shipping by encouraging its removal from continuing operation. To drive this effort OCIMF has developed the Ship Inspection Report Programme (SIRE), a tanker risk assessment tool for all those concerned with ship safety - charterers, ship operators, terminal operators and government bodies. The SIRE system is a very large database of up-to-date information about tankers, which focuses tanker industry awareness on the importance of meeting tanker quality and ship safety standards. Worldwide, in the last 12 months more than 10,000 inspection reports on some 4000 vessels have been conducted. SIRE is becoming ever more rigorous - OCIMF has now introduced an accreditation scheme for SIRE inspectors, who must now meet minimum experience and qualification criteria.
SIRE is one of a number of means that UKOOA members seek to ascertain whether the vessels they charter are well managed and maintained - other indications are provided by port inspection reports, insurance classification and operating record. Better-informed vetting decisions are leading to improvements in the quality of ships, accelerating the achievement of safer ships and cleaner seas.
The ongoing dialogue on shipping issues continues. Members of UKOOA's FPSO committee sit on OCIMF workgroups. The industry is discussing with HSE the issues (safety and environmental) around offshore loading when very large vessels are maneuvering in close proximity. UKOOA members are also engaged in the current debate over the civil liabilities convention. As this currently stands the ship owner pays only a limited part of the compensation costs to victims of oil spills; the rest come from the International Oil Pollution Fund administered by the IMO. Amending these arrangements will increase the incentive on ship owners to ensure all ships are of good quality.
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Website References
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Sustainability Strategy Commitments
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