Maritime environmental emergency response capability

DoT’s Maritime Environmental Emergency Response (MEER) team works to:

• collaboratively build and maintain awareness of maritime environmental emergencies
• prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from maritime environmental emergencies.

The MEER team’s role includes:

• providing 24/7 on call support
• state marine pollution coordination
• maritime incident management and support
• nearshore and shoreline response
• facilitation of other agency support
• incorporation of National Plan support and alignment
• industry and other stakeholder plan consultation
• training and exercise facilitation
• hazard risk and capability management
• incident recovery management and support.

The Incident Control Centre (ICC) is located at the DoT Maritime Office and is equipped with a dedicated AV and IT system. The ICC can be quickly activated and expanded to respond to maritime environmental emergencies.

Our Maritime Incident Management Team (MIMT) is trained and ready to contribute to our Incident Management Team and support MEER.

The State Response Team (SRT) are trained and ready to facilitate and lead field-based response actions during an incident.

The SRT comprises of members from:

• DoT
• Port Authorities
• The Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions
• The Department of Water and Environmental Regulation.

The main role of the SRT is to manage marine oil pollution incidents.

DoT maintains stockpiles of incident appraisal equipment and oil spill response equipment, including response kits, general equipment and response supplies.

These stockpiles are positioned and designed to respond to an actual or impending Level 2/3  Maritime Environmental Emergency across WA at short notice.

The Maritime Emergency Safety Management System (SMS) ensures the safety of personnel and responders who are conducting work in preparation for or during a maritime environmental emergency.

All personnel and responders (including permanent, contracted or volunteers) must adhere to the SMS.

There are 5 underpinning rules of safety in Maritime Environmental Emergency Response that reinforce the SMS framework:

• wear the right PPE (reference: SMS, Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), Safety Data Sheet (SDS) and Safe Work Practice (SWP)
• ensure personnel decontamination and first aid capacity
• check equipment is serviceable prior to deployment
• follow relevant Standard Operating Procedures, Safety Data Sheets and Safe Work Practices
• responders must be appropriately trained, certified, and qualified.

DoT personnel who are responding to a maritime environmental emergency incident in support of another controlling agency or coordinating entity will:

• adhere to that organisation’s safety requirements, and
• apply the personal safety standards and controls as outlined in the SMS.

The SMS does not prevent others from also adhering to additional minimum personal safety standards and controls as required from their own agency or organisation.

The Incident Management System (IMS) provides a method for the effective, efficient, coordinated and controlled management of a maritime environmental emergency. 
The IMS is a hybrid application of the:

• Australasian Inter-service Incident Management System (AIIMS) 
• Incident Command System (ICS). 

The IMS also includes components that align to requirements outlined in the Emergency Management Framework  in Western Australia and the National Plan for Maritime Environmental Emergencies in Australia. 

Other capabilities are also available for the management of maritime environmental emergencies in WA through the National Plan arrangements, including:

• national response team
• national plan equipment
• fixed wing aerial dispersant capability
• emergency towage capability
• place or refuge arrangements
• environmental, scientific and technical network.

Find out more about the National Plan for Maritime Environmental Emergencies. 

The Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) maintains a pool of trained oiled wildlife responders which can be supplemented by equivalent volunteer and industry capability where needed.

These responders use specialist oiled wildlife response equipment maintained by DoT.

Find our more about DBCA's oiled wildlife response.

The Environmental Liaison Group is headed by the Environmental Scientific Coordinator, which provides whole of government, expert environmental and scientific advice in maritime environmental emergencies.

The group includes nominated individuals from key State Government agencies responsible for environmental related legislation and management in WA.

To find out more about DoT’s maritime environmental emergency response capability, contact the MEER team at marine.pollution@transport.wa.gov.au