MSC-MEPC.6/Circ.16
Annex, page 1
ANNEX
LIST OF NATIONAL OPERATIONAL CONTACT POINTS
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RECEIPT, TRANSMISSION AND PROCESSING OF
URGENT REPORTS ON INCIDENTS INVOLVING HARMFUL SUBSTANCES,
INCLUDING OIL FROM SHIPS TO COASTAL STATES
1 The following information is provided to enable compliance with Regulation 37 of
MARPOL Annex I which, inter alia, requires that the Shipboard Oil Pollution Emergency Plan
(SOPEP) shall contain a list of authorities or persons to be contacted in the event of a
pollution incident involving such substances. Requirements for oil pollution emergency plans
and relevant oil pollution reporting procedures are contained in Articles 3 and 4 of the 1990
OPRC Convention.
2 This information is also provided to enable compliance with Regulation 17 of
MARPOL Annex II which, inter alia, requires that the shipboard marine pollution emergency
plans for oil and/or noxious liquid substances shall contain a list of authorities or persons to
be contacted in the event of a pollution incident involving such substances. In this context,
requirements for emergency plans and reporting for hazardous and noxious substances are
also contained in Article 3 of the 2000 OPRC-HNS Protocol.
3 Resolution MEPC.54(32), as amended by resolution MEPC.86(44), on the SOPEP
Guidelines and resolution MEPC.85(44), as amended by resolution MEPC.137(53), on the
Guidelines for the development of Shipboard Marine Pollution Emergency Plans for Oil and/or
Noxious Liquid Substances adopted by the IMO require that these shipboard pollution
emergency plans should include, as an appendix, the list of agencies or officials of
administrations responsible for receiving and processing reports. Such list is developed and
up-dated by the Organization in compliance with Article 8 (Reports on incidents involving
harmful substances) and Protocol I (Provisions concerning Reports on Incidents Involving
Harmful Substances) of the MARPOL Convention. Under Article 8 of the MARPOL
Convention, each Party to the Convention shall notify the Organization with complete details
of authorities responsible for receiving and processing reports on incidents for circulation to
other Parties and Member States of the Organization. Attention is also drawn to both
Guidelines which stipulate that "in the absence of a listed focal point, or should any undue
delay be experienced in contacting the responsible authority by direct means, the master
should be advised to contact the nearest coastal radio station, designated ship movement
reporting station or rescue co-ordination centre (RCC) by the quickest available means".
4 The "List of national operational contact points responsible for the receipt,
transmission and processing of urgent reports on incidents involving harmful substances,
including oil from ships to coastal States" contained in the circular is updated at the end of
each calendar year. This list is an update of that contained in MSC-MEPC.6/Circ.16
dated 31 December 2017, as amended.
5 The above mentioned “List” is available on the Internet and can be accessed at
http://www.imo.org/OurWork/Circulars/Pages/CP.aspx (or select “National Contacts” link on
the bottom of the IMO homepage). This Internet version is updated on
