A/Res.674(16)
International co-operation on oil pollution preparedness and responseTHE ASSEMBLY,
RECALLING Article 15(j) of the Convention on the International Maritime Organization concerning the functions of the Assembly in relation to regulations and guidelines concerning maritime safety and the prevention and control of marine pollution from ships,
RECOGNIZING the severity of recent marine pollution incidents resulting from casualties to tan kers and offshore installations,
BEING EVER CONSCIOUS of the need to preserve the human environment in general and the marine environment in particular,
CONSIDERING the proven success of the International Maritime Organization In developing multilateral approaches to such problems,
ACKNOWLEDGING the provisions of its resolution A.448(11) on regional arrangements for combating major incidents or threats of marine pollution, and its resolutions on technical assistance in the field of protection of the marine environment (A.349(IX), A.677(16)),
FURTHER RECOGNIZING the excellent efforts by the Organization in developing Guidelines for International Marine Oil Spill Contingency Plans (MEPC/Circ.122) and the Guide to International Assistance in Marine Pollution Emergencies (MEpc/circ.206),
BEARING IN MIND the establishment of, and proven advantages to be gained from, regional contingency planning and international co-operation in combating such incidents,
1. REQUESTS the Marine Environment Protection Committee to develop, for consideration at a conference, a draft international convention on oil pollution preparedness and response which would provide the framework for international co-operation for combating major oil pollution incidents taking Into account the experience gained within existing regional arrangements on combating marine pollution, and which would include such matters as:
(a) establishment of an International information centre within, or under the auspices of, the Organization;
(b) encouragement for establishing a national response centre in each Member State ;
(c) development of shipboard contingency plans;
(d) encouragement for establishing pre-positioned oil spill response equipment;
(e) fostering international co-operation and co-ordination of research and development efforts in marine pollution response; and
(f) development and maintainance of an inventory of pollution response equipment available on a world-wide basis ;
2. FURTHER REQUESTS the Secretary-General to identify the requirements for the establishment of an international information centre within, or under the auspices of, the Organization including the development of a mechanism for:
(a) maintaining a listing of national response centres and their capabilities;
(b) maintaining an inventory of pollution response equipment available for use in responding to oil spills;
(c) maintaining a listing of experts in pollution response and salvage;
(d) receiving, analyzing, and disseminating oil spill incident reports;
3. DECIDES to include in the work programme of the Organization a provision for an international conference, to be convened not later than November 1990, to adopt the convention referred to in 1 above.