HELCOM RECOMMENDATION 12/7

Adopted 20 February 1991, having regard to Article 13, Paragraph b) of the Helsinki Convention

SPECIAL COOPERATION IN CASE OF A CHEMICAL TANKER ACCIDENT IN THE BALTIC SEA

THE COMMISSION,

RECALLING Article 11 and Annex VI*) of the Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area, 1974, (Helsinki Convention), concerning cooperation in combatting marine pollution which also covers cooperation in combatting chemical spillages,

RECALLING ALSO the provision of Regulation 9.1.d of Annex VI*) to the Convention, which establishes an information network between the competent authorities of the Contracting Parties,

RECALLING FURTHER that HELCOM Recommendation 11/13 concerning the development of national ability to respond to spillages of oil and other harmful substances establishes common requirements for national ability to combat chemical spillages,

RECOGNIZING that in combatting chemical spillages, special expertise on several fields is needed, and all necessary experts may not be available in each of the Contracting Parties, especially if the accident occurs off the coast of a Contracting Party where the chemical concerned is not used on a large scale,

RECOGNIZING ALSO that disposal of chemical wastes originated from the combatting operation may cause overwhelming difficulties to the third Parties not using that chemical,

RECOMMENDS that the Governments of the Contracting Parties to the Helsinki Convention:

a)nominate a contact point through which competent authorities of other Contracting Parties can, in emergency situations, without delay get information on the chemicals carried by a tanker from or to a harbour of a Party concerned;

b)by national measures create as soon as possible but not later than by the end of 1992 an information system which would, in case of a chemical spillage, facilitate access by the competent authorities to data concerning the chemicals carried by the tankers;

c)provide, in accordance with Regulation 8 of Annex VI*) to the Convention, and within their ability, other Parties with special assistance like experts to respond to chemical spillages, special protective clothing and equipment for combatting personnel, and special instruments for chemical analyses,

RECOMMENDS ALSO that the Governments of the Contracting Parties inform each other of their national facilities where chemical wastes emanating from combatting operations can be treated and disposed of and make all efforts to provide necessary waste treatment possibilities after an accident has occurred off the coast of another Contracting Party,

AUTHORIZES the Combatting Committee to develop an appropriate section concerning the implementation of this Recommendation to be included into the Manual on Co-operation in Combatting Marine Pollution,

URGES FURTHER that action taken by the Contracting Parties to implement this Recommendation should be reported to the Commission and its Combatting Committee for the first time before 30 May 1993.

*) after the entering into force of the 1992 Helsinki Convention, the relevant reference is to Annex VII