This publication, prepared by the OPRC-HNS Technical Group and approved by IMO’s Marine Environmental Protection Committee, provides guidance on the establishment of an incident management system (IMS) for marine pollution incidents.

An established IMS provides for the safe, effective and effi cient management and deployment of resources for all types of emergency incidents. It is essential for effective pollution incident management, providing a clear command structure and well-defi ned roles and responsibilities within an optimal span-of-control. The IMS is intended to be staffed and operated by qualifi ed personnel from any agency and is scalable so that it can adapt organizationally based on the needs of the incident.

This Guidance document would ideally be used during the contingency planning process in conjunction with the IMO Manual on Oil Pollution, Section II – Contingency Planning and Section IV – Combating Oil Spills.