TIER 3 RESPONSE CENTRES—THE CHALLENGE OF OPERATING IN A TIER 2 ENVIRONMENT1

Abstract

ABSTRACT East Asia Response Limited (EARL) in Singapore is a regional Tier 3 centre that provides response services throughout the Asia Pacific region. The Tier 3 response centres are designed to provide external international support to members. When these resources are used, the management of the response and the logistics support are drawn from the receiving organization. When a spill occurs in the Singapore Straits, particularly involving a shipping company or a P & I club, a whole new set of expectations and responsibilities need to be recognized both from the Government and the responsible party's point of view. The Port Authority has the jurisdiction over Singapore Port and is responsible for managing the clean-up under the guidance of the National Contingency Plan. The responsible party is looking for a comprehensive spill response service. EARL has put in place various additional arrangements to meet the new expectations of authorities and responsible parties. These include the training of external manpower sources, development and testing of booming plans for sensitive sites and logistics plans to support response crafts and waste management. This paper will highlight preparedness, response planning and activation in what is one of the world's busiest ports.