New contracts to help speed oil spill response

BIMCO and International Spill Control Organisation (ISCO) have launched two new spill response contracts, to make the task of arranging clean-up services following a spill incident significantly easier to negotiate in an emergency.

The two contracts, RESPONSECON and US RESPONSECON, are designed for spill incidents and enable those involved to obtain clean-up services and hire specialised personnel and equipment without delay.

The two standard contracts are a first for spill response contractors. One is tailored for international use and the other is specifically for use in the United States and both are available free of charge on BIMCO’s website.

The contracts have been written by a group of experts from BIMCO, ISCO, the International Group of P&I Clubs, the International Salvage Union and the Spill Control Association of America. Other partners, including ITOPF (International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation) and individual response contractors, also contributed.

Tony Paulson, West of England P&I Club, who led the drafting team, said: “Until now, no single standard contract for the hire of specialised spill response services and equipment has been available. Harmonised terms and conditions will help speed the process of getting essential spill response equipment on site as soon as possible”.

Matthew Sommerville, ISCO added that timing is vital for a successful response. The contact addresses this need , as it lets the parties sign and mobilise the response, while negotiations continue on rates and charges.

“This means that the contracts can be negotiated in a matter of minutes and personnel and equipment can get to work immediately”, he explained.

The terms and conditions are set out in standard clauses with accompanying annexes for the different parties to insert detailed descriptions of the required services and rates for personnel and equipment.