Statutory Responsibilities - Emergency plans and procedures

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Security Planning and Procedures
Contingency and Emergency Planning
Hazardous and Noxious Substances Spillages – Planning and Response

Security Planning and Procedures

The PLA has been designated a “strategic authority” by the Department for Transport, Transport Security Division, under the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code. Thus, the PLA has a communication and coordination role for port security issues throughout the Port, and chairs the Port Security Committee. In addition the PLA has specific responsibility for the security of ISPS designated “controlled buildings” and other key port infrastructure, and all approaches and anchorages within the port area.

Administration of marine security matters within the port is carried out through the Port Security Coordination Office, which can be contacted via email on portsecurity@pla.co.uk Full details of the marine security procedures are contained within the Port Security Plan.

Contingency and Emergency Planning

As a statutory port authority, the PLA has a duty to prepare emergency plans, specified in the Port Marine Safety Code, as part of its navigational risk assessment and safety management systems. Specific responsibilities for emergency planning arise from the Dangerous Substances in Harbour Areas Regulations, 1987 (SI 1987 No 37), and as part of the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, under which port authorities are designated as responders with a duty to “cooperate” with members of the Local Resilience Forum in the event of a civil emergency.

The principles by which civil contingencies are addressed in the UK by the Cabinet Office and utilize the concept of Integrated Emergency Management, which ensures all responders (both statutory and non-statutory) to an emergency use the same planning format and command and control structure. PLA Emergency Plans and Procedures are fully compliant with this concept and provide a graduated response for any Port Emergency, Major Incident or Catastrophic Incident (essentially any “disruptive challenge”) affecting the river and port operations.

Emergency Management Procedures cover three areas (Teddington to Crayfordness – UPPER, Crayfordness to Sea Reach 1 – LOWER, Sea Reach 1 to Outer Port Limit – ESTUARY) reflecting differing geographic, river use and administrative differences within the port area.

Further details of the PLA emergency Plans and Procedures are documented in the current Permanent Notice to Mariners P4.

Hazardous and Noxious Substances Spillages – Planning and Response

Under the Merchant Shipping (Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Cooperation Convention) Regulations 1998 (SI 1998 No 1056), the PLA has a statutory duty to report any spillage of oil or other hazardous material to MCA Coastguard, and to prepare plans and clean up oil spillages from within the port limits. In addition, the MCA National Contingency Plan extends the scope of planning requirements to marine pollution, thereby including other hazardous substances. The PLA Oil Spill Contingency Plan is fully compliant with all the requirements of the MCA National Contingency Plan.

In addition, the PLA maintains an environmental sensitivity mapping system, in collaboration with other organisations, to identify those commercial, amenity and/or geographic areas within the port that are deemed sensitive to marine pollution, and to aid prioritisation of sites for clean-up operations.

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