BIMCO and International Spill Control Organisation (ISCO) have launched two new spill response contracts to make the task of arranging clean-up services following a spill incident easier to negotiate in an emergency.
The two contracts, RESPONSECON and US RESPONSECON, are designed for spill incidents and enable those involved to obtain clean-up services and hire specialised personnel and equipment without delay. The first of them is intended for international use and the second one for use in the United States.
“Until now, no single standard contract for the hire of specialised spill response services and equipment has been available. Harmonised terms and conditions will help speed the process of getting essential spill response equipment on site as soon as possible,” Tony Paulson, West of England P&I Club , who led the drafting team, said.
“Timing is critical for a successful response. To avoid delay, the contract lets the parties sign and mobilise the response while negotiations continue on rates and charges. This means that the contracts can be negotiated in a matter of minutes and personnel and equipment can get to work immediately,” Matthew Sommerville, Secretary of ISCO, added.
The contracts have been written by a group of experts from BIMCO, ISCO, the International Group of P&I Clubs, the International Salvage Union and the Spill Control Association of America.