International Journal
on Marine Navigation
and Safety of Sea Transportation
Volume 6
Number 4
December 2012
1 POLISH SAR BASES AND ITS SPILLAGE
FIGHTING EQUIPMENT
Polish oil spill lighting system based on the same
structure as SAR system. The main headquarter is located
in Gdynia. The auxiliary one is situated in Świnoujście.
Along the polish coast there are twelve regional SAR
centres which are equipped with oil spill fighting means
(Fig. 1). Depending on the oil spill area and its kind the
proper centre or centres are designated to handle the
situation.
Fig. 1. Deployment of polish SAR centres.
Source: www.sar.gov.pl
Spillage fighting equipment is distributed in SAR
bases along the polish coast. At present (2010), the
best equipped base is auxilliary base in Świnoujście,
where the biggest polish rescue vessel m/v Kapitan
Poinc is moored (Fig. 2). The readiness time for
taking part in antispillage action is about 120
minutes. Moreover, there are other ships which are
able to fight with oil pollution, ie.:
− SAR vessel type SAR – 1500 m/v Cyklon (Fig.
3),
− SAR vessel designated for oil spill fighting m/v
Czesław II.
The equipment consists of many barriers and oil
collectors, like:
− Barrier Expandi 4300 – 600 metres long,
− Barrier Seapack 80 – 450 metres long,
− Barrier Trellboom – 450 metres long,
− Oil collector Seaskimmer 50 – efficiency
50 m
3
/h,
− Oil collector Walosep W2 – efficiency 45 m
3
/h,
− Oil collector for heavy oil Scantrawl A.
In the rest of polish SAR bases the spillage
fighting equipment is similar to that presented
above. The main difference lay in another kind of
ships and their worthiness against pollution. The
The Profile of Polish Oil Spill Fighting System
A. Bąk & K. Ludwiczak
Maritime University of Szczecin, Szczecin, Poland
ABSTRACT: Article presents the profile of polish oil spill fighting system along the polish coast. Its
antipollution equipment and readiness for pollution fighting. Moreover the responsibilities and information
flow are also presented. In the end authors give the reader conclusions after many of simulations performed in
the Potential Incident Simulation, Control and Evaluation System (PISCES II) simulator which is installed in
the Maritime University of Szczecin.
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detailed plan of its distribution is published in the
Internet (http://www.sar.gov.pl).
Fig. 2. SAR vessel m/v „Kapitan Poinc”. Photo: Andrzej Bąk.
As a basis of oil spill fighting action is to
immediate countertact oil spillage, which in effect
leads to water pollution. Every incident, no mater
the origin (vessel, underwater pipeline, etc.), should
be reported to Marine Pollution National Contact
Point (MPNCP) located in SAR Centre Gdynia with
no delay. Ports incidents should be reported to
Harbour Master. Breakdowns of inland industrial
installations, which can affect marine environment,
have to be reported to Maritime Office.
Fig. 3. SAR vessel m/v „Cyklon”. Photo: Andrzej Bąk.
MPNCP officer on duty establishes the following
details:
− The nature of incident,
− Numbers of people onboard,
− Determine the threat for people and equipment,
− Type, dimensions and name of the vessel or any
other installationtypu,
− Identification of owner or operator,
− Identification of position, course, speed, vessels
in vicinity,
− Information about coastal installation, distances
to shallow water and the coast,
− Cargo information, amount of bunker and
indicate which of them are dangerous for marine
environment,
− Constructional and mechanical integrity of vessel,
− Weather conditions and sea state,
− Required assistance,
− Making the attempt to avoid water pollution.
MPNCP officer on duty pass on the report to
adequate Maritime Office. Its director makes a
decision regarding incident in accordance with the
rules. Whoever notices any water pollution or any
threat to marine environment should inform
MPNCP, by means of:
− Captain report, which was responsible for
pollution,
− Captain report, which spotted the pollution,
− Airplane report, which was making patrol flight,
− Vessel pilot report,
− Report form any other airplane,
− Any person report, which spotted the pollution
from the land,
− Coastal installation manger report,
− Harbour Master officer on duty report.
In case of small local oil spillage, adequate
environmental protection inspector designated by
Maritime Office director is taking command and
checks if the action is performed according to
regional antipollution plan. In the event of spillage
which require to use national antipollution forces the
director of Maritime Office is making decision of
using SAR service. It is needed also to inform
Ministry of Infrastructure and in danger of coast
pollution the proper governor and provincial
environmental protection inspector.
In the moment of beginning antipollution action
the director of Maritime Office should inform the
following entities:
− Ministry of Maritime Economy,
− Proper governor and provincial environmental
protection inspector,
− Helsinki Commission Secretary,
− States the signatory of Helsinki Convention, if
pollution can reach their coast,
− International Maritime Organization in case of
very serious pollution.
Head of Operation cooperates with Polish
Coastguard and SAR Coordination Centre. In order
to have the overall view of the incident and to take
proper decisions it is crucial to obtain actual data
regarding pollution. The best way to do so is taking
the observation and monitoring area affected by
flying means. Thanks to that it is possible to search
bigger area and indicate any other dangerous like
additional spillage stains, possibility of laying down
the oil substances ashore and threat of another
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country coast. Using airplanes have advantage of
taking pictures and making photography
documentation of polluted area. The person who is
responsible for such a monitoring is Director of the
Maritime Office in Gdynia who has at command
TURBOLET airplane which can be supported by
Navy planes [1].
2 SIMULATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS
In order to estimate the cost of antipollution action
and optimal equipment distribution among all polish
SAR bases authors made many simulations in the
Potential Incident Simulation, Control and
Evaluation System (PISCES II) simulator which is
installed in the Maritime University of Szczecin.
That simulator is often use for estimating the
polluter and for monitoring the spillage [2]. As the
result the following conclusions can be set:
− Proper choice of antipollution equipment speeds
up the action itself,
− Heavy and light oil removing duration is
comparable,
− Bed weather conditions like high sea, strong wind
and current make the action very difficult and
prolong the time of pollution fighting,
− Very often the bed weather conditions affects the
laying down the oil substances ashore,
− In some cases at the Zatoka Gdańska it is
necessary to use SAR vessel moored in
Świnoujście as the best equipped in Poland
nowaday,
− Duration of action can be many time long in bed
weather which makes the cost of action very high,
− High sea (3 metres wave height or more) makes
the action completely impossible, because the
equipment is not designed for such a weather
conditions,
− Cost of action can be reduced by equipping SAR
bases with more efficient oil collectors and
barriers. Also readiness time should be reduced as
much as possible (at present it is 120 minutes).
BIBLIGRAPHY
[1] „Krajowy Plan Zwalczania Zagrożeń i Zanieczyszczeń
Środowiska Morskiego”, Morska Służba Poszukiwania i
Ratownictwa, Gdynia 2005 (in Polish).
[2] Perkovic M., Sitkov A. „Oil Spill Modeling and Combat”
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