The plan consisting of procedures and descriptions of actions to be taken in the event of an oil pollution incident. According to MARPOL 73/78, Annex I, reg. 26, every oil tanker of 150 tons gross tonnage and above and every ship other than an oil tanker of 400 tons gross tonnage and above shall carry on board a Shipboard Oil Pollution Emergency Plan approved by Administration.
1. The SOPEP shall be written in accordance with the requirements of regulation 26 of Annex I of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973 as modified by the Protocol of 1978 relating there to.
2. The purpose of the SOPEP is to provide guidance to the Master and officers on board the ship with respect to the steps to be taken when an oil pollution incident has occured or is likely to occur.
3. The SOPEP shall contain all information and operational instructions as required by the “Guidelines for the development of the Shipboard Oil Pollution Emergency Plan” as developed by the Organization (IMO) and published under MEPC/ Circ. 256. The appendices contain names, telephone, telex numbers, etc., of all contacts referenced in the SOPEP, as well as other reference material.
4. The SOPEP has been approved by the Administration and, except as provided below, no alteration or revision shall be made to any part of it without the prior approval of the Administration.
5. Changes to non-mandatory information and the appendices will not be required to be approved by the Administration. The appendices should be maintained up to date by the owners, operators and managers.