Manual on Oil Pollution – Section V: Administrative Aspects of Oil Pollution Response, 2009 Edition

The Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC), at its thirty-third session, agreed that a new section V of the IMO Manual on Oil Pollution, dealing with administrative aspects and, in particular, with the roles and functions of entities which could be involved in an oil pollution emergency and its aftermath, should be developed. The present text is a revision of the first edition of the Manual, published in 1998, taking into account changes and new information on the topic since the original version.

This section of the Manual on Oil Pollution is intended to provide the reader, in particular on-scene commanders, lead agencies and others involved in the management of oil pollution response, with an appreciation of the various interests involved in an oil pollution emergency and its aftermath, as well as a general review of the international legal regimes governing limitation of liability and compensation for oil pollution damage.

This section is not intended to provide an authorized or definitive commentary on the legal relationships between the various entities involved in an oil pollution emergency or an interpretation of relevant international conventions. The reference section includes sources of more comprehensive information on these subjects, and the reader is encouraged to make use of them if more detailed information is required.