Standing approvals
Under the Merchant Shipping (Oil Pollution Preparedness Response and Cooperation, OPRC) Regulations 1998, ports and harbours in England and Wales are required to have contingency plans ready to be implemented in the event of a marine pollution incident emergency.
The use of oil spill treatment products in shallow marine waters, such as ports and harbours, requires specific approval from MFA. Ports and harbours can, however, obtain a standing approval from MFA for inclusion in their OPRC plan. A standing approval allows the use of an appropriate quantity of a specified oil treatment product during an incident. This means that there is no need to seek specific permission at the time of the spill. Ports and harbours are required, however, to notify the MFA of any use of an oil treatment product under their standing approval as soon as possible afterwards.
The areas in which standing approvals apply are:
- Birkenhead North Alfred Dock (United Storage)
- Birkenhead Terminal (United Storage)
- Bristol Port
- Fawley Oil Refinery, Southampton
- Felixstowe Port
- Fishguard Harbour, Goodwick (Stenaline)
- Fleetwood Enclosed Docks
- Harwich Haven Authority
- Hull King George V Dock
- Humber Associated British Port
- Tetney Monobuoy at the Humber
- Immingham Associated Petroleum Terminal
- Ipswich Associated British Port
- Liverpool Canada Dock (United Storage)
- Liverpool Gladstone Dock (United Storage)
- Lowestoft Associated British Port
- Ramsgate Port
- Sheerness/Chatham Port
- Silvertown Thames Cairns Mill Wharf
- Teddington Sea Reach Buoy 1
- Workington Prince of Wales Dock.