Marmaras fined over spill readiness breach

GREEK-based shipping company Marmaras Navigation has been fined US$8,500 under Washington state law for failure to have an approved oil spill readiness plan. The state's Department of Ecology imposed the fine, the first time it has has levied a fine under its new oil spill contingency plan rule adopted in October last year.

Washington state requires that cargo and passenger ships, tankers, oil storage facilities and pipeline companies demonstrate that they can mount an effective, timely response if they spill oil. Under the rule, the vessel must either have their own approved spill readiness plan or be enrolled in one of the two non-profit organizations with approved plans that cover vessels in Washington.

According a press statement a spill contingency plan assures that if a regulated vessel or facility spills oil, the company has identified its cleanup contractors, knows where response equipment is located, possesses the financial means to launch a cleanup, and knows how to make timely and proper notification to state and federal response authorities if a spill occurs.

Ecology discovered that the Marmaras Navigation ship, Theodoros P, entered Washington waters on 26 May without a spill readiness plan. On May 30, Ecology issued an administrative order requiring the Theodoros P to have contingency plan coverage. The next day, the company paid to enrol under a state-approved blanket readiness plan operated by the Seattle-based Washington State Maritime Cooperative.

Linda Pilkey-Jarvis oversees statewide oil spill preparedness activities for Ecology. She said the fine was based on the five days the ship was in Washington waters without coverage. Ecology could have levied a fine up to $100,000 a day.