Emergency Response Services (ERS) are rarely used, and as such may not attract appropriate priority of emphasis in vessel management. Merely having a service agreement in place does not ensure that, when needed, the quality of service provided meets the need.
Recognising the potential hazards associated with the lack of consistency in the provision and utilisation of ERS, the OCIMF Marine Technical Sub-committee was tasked to form a Working Group to review current systems and practices in the industry, and to make any necessary recommendations for improvement. The objective of these Guidelines is to clarify and recommend the minimum scope of ERS provision, and to give advice on suggested minimum requirements of competency and capability of ERS service providers.