Guidelines for Reporting Incidents Involving Dangerous Goods, Harmful Substances and/or Marine Pollutants - TP 9834 E (2009)

Table of Contents

Document Information

Introduction

1. Abbreviations
2. Definitions
3. How to Make a Report
4. Content of Report
5. Supplementary Report
6. Probability of Discharge
7. Report on Assistance or Salvage

Appendix

1. Prodecures
2. Standard Reporting Format and Procedures
3. Detailed Reporting Requirements
4. Primary Report Forms

Document Information

Responsible Authority:

The Director Operations and Environmental Programs is responsible for this document, including any change, correction, or update.

Approval:

Director Operations and Environmental Programs
Marine Safety

Original Date Issued: December, 1995
Date Revised: July, 2009

© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of Transport, 2009.
Permission is granted, by Transport Canada, to copy this TP 9834 E as required. While use of this material has been authorized, Transport Canada shall not be responsible for the manner in which the information is presented, nor for any interpretations thereof. This TP 9834 E may not be updated to reflect amendments made to the original content. For up-to-date information, contact Transport Canada.

TP 9834 E (07/2009)
TC -1003421

Revisions
Last Review: May 2009 Next Review: May 2010
Revision No.	Date of Issue	Affected Pages	Author(s)	Brief Description of Change
1	July 2009	All	T. Morris	Updated to reflect the Canada Shipping Act, 2001 and the amendments to IMO Resolution A.851(20) in Resolution MEPC .138(53).

Introduction

These Guidelines comply as far as practicable with the general principles and standard reporting format procedures described in Resolution A.851(20) of the 20th Session of the Assembly of the International Maritime Organization ( IMO ), adopted 27 November 1997, as amended by Resolution MEPC .138(53).

The intent of these Guidelines is to enable the proper authorities to be informed without delay so that appropriate action may be taken when:

1. any incident occurs involving the loss, or likely loss, overboard of packaged dangerous goods in the sea; or
2. any incident occurs giving rise to pollution, or threat of pollution to the marine environment, as well as of assistance and salvage measures; or
3. any oil pollution incident occurs involving the loading or unloading of oil to or from a vessel at an oil handling facility.

The Pollutant Discharge Reporting Regulations, 1995 stipulate that a vessel’s master or owner must make reports required under the Regulations in the manner described in these Guidelines or IMO Resolution A.851(20). The Regulations also stipulate that the operator of an oil handling facility must make reports in a manner described in these Guidelines. These Guidelines should then be used in conjunction with the Pollutant Discharge Reporting Regulations, 1995 when harmful substances and/or marine pollutants are involved. Where any discrepancy exists between the regulations and the Guidelines, the requirements of the regulations shall prevail.

1. Abbreviations

HF
High Frequency

IMO
International Maritime Organization

MARPOL
The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973, and the Protocols of 1978 and 1997, as amended from time to time

MF
Medium Frequency

UN
United Nations

UTC
Coordinated Universal Time

VHF
Very High Frequency

2. Definitions

2.1 In these Guidelines,

“dangerous goods” means goods that by reason of their nature, quantity or mode of stowage are either singly or collectively liable to endanger the lives of the passengers or imperil the vessel and includes all substances determined by the Governor in Council, in regulations made by him, including the Cargo, Fumigation and Tackle Regulations, to be dangerous goods; (marchandises dangereuses)

“harmful substance in packaged form” means any substance which is identified as a marine pollutant in the International Maritimes Dangerous Goods Code ( IMDG Code); (substance nuisible en colis)

“in bulk” means in a hold or tank that is part of the structure of the vessel, without any intermediate form of containment; (en vrac)

“incident” includes the discharge of a pollutant, a dangerous good or a harmful substance in packaged form or their anticipated discharge; (incident)

“marine safety inspector” means a person appointed as a marine safety inspector under section 11 of the Canada Shipping Act, 2001; (inspecteur de la sécurité maritime)

“marine communications and traffic services officer” means a person designated as a marine communications and traffic services officer by the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans under subsection 126(2) of the Canada Shipping Act, 2001; (fonctionnaire chargé des services de communications et de trafic maritimes)

“packaged form” means the forms of containment specified for harmful substances or dangerous goods in the International Maritimes Dangerous Goods Code ( IMDG Code); (en colis)

“pollution prevention officer” means a person designated as a pollution prevention officer pursuant to section 14 of the Arctic Waters Pollution Prevention Act; (fonctionnaire chargé de la prévention de la pollution)

“waters under Canadian jurisdiction” means the internal waters of Canada as described in section 6 of the Oceans Act, the territorial sea of Canada as described in section 4 of the Oceans Act and the exclusive economic zone of Canada as described in section 13 of the Oceans Act, , and includes the shipping safety control zones prescribed pursuant to section 11 of the Arctic Waters Pollution Prevention Act. (eaux de compétence canadienne)

3. How to Make a Report

3.1 The report should be transmitted in the following manner:

1. when an incident occurs involving a vessel in waters under Canadian jurisdiction, the report shall be made with the highest possible priority and using the quickest means available to a marine safety inspector, or for incidents occurring in a shipping safety control zone, to a pollution prevention officer;
2. when the vessel referred to in paragraph 3.1.1 is in a radio telecommunications area that is covered by Canadian Coast Guard Marine Communications and Traffic Services, the report should, where expedient, be routed through that system to a marine communications and traffic services officer;
3. when an incident occurs involving a Canadian vessel outside waters under Canadian jurisdiction, the report should be made to the nearest coastal State through an appropriate coast station, preceded by the safety signal (if the incident affects the safety of navigation), or by the urgency signal (if the incident affects the safety of the vessel or persons);
4. on appropriate frequencies (in the bands 405-525 kHz , 1605-2850 kHz or 156-174 MHz );
5. when the vessel is not within reach of a MF or VHF coast station, to the most appropriate HF coast station or on the relevant maritime satellite communication system;
6. when the vessel is within or near an area for which a vessel reporting system has been established, to the designated shore establishment responsible for operation of that system;
7. the format and procedures should, when practicable, comply with the relevant requirements of Section A2 in the Appendix, Standard Reporting Format and Procedures; and
8. in addition to any report referred to in paragraph 3.1.1, when an oil pollution incident occurs involving a vessel at a designated oil handling facility, the operator of the oil handling facility shall:
   1. report with the highest possible priority and using the quickest means available, to the federal emergency telephone number identified in the facility’s oil pollution emergency plan;
   2. report in writing any incident involving oil to the Transport Canada Marine Safety office nearest to the facility; and
   3. report, when practicable, in compliance with the relevant requirements of Section A2 of the Appendix, Standard Reporting Format and Procedures.

4. Content of Report

4.1 Reports should contain the specific information listed in Section A3 of the Appendix, Detailed Reporting Requirements.

5. Supplementary Report

5.1 Particulars not immediately available should be inserted in a supplementary message or messages.

5.2 When harmful substances and/or marine pollutants are involved, a supplementary message should follow immediately or as soon as possible after the initial report. Information that is essential for the protection of the marine environment, as appropriate to the incident, should be included. That information should include Items P, Q, R, S and X, as listed in Section A2 of the Appendix.

6. Probability of Discharge

6.1 The probability of a discharge resulting from damage to the vessel or its equipment is a reason for making a report. In judging whether there is such a probability and whether a report should be made, the following factors, among others, should be taken into account:

1. the nature of the damage, failure or breakdown of the vessel, machinery or equipment; and
2. sea and wind state and also traffic density in the area at the time and place of the incident.

6.2 It is recognized that it would be impracticable to lay down precise definitions of all types of incidents involving probable discharge which would warrant an obligation to report. Nevertheless as a general guideline, the master of the vessel should make reports in cases of:

1. damage, failure or breakdown which affects the safety of vessels. Examples of such incidents are collision, grounding, fire, explosion, structural failure, flooding, cargo shifting; and
2. failure or breakdown of machinery or equipment which results in the impairment of the safety of navigation. Examples of such incidents are failure or breakdown of steering gear, propulsion plant, electrical generating system, essential shipborne navigational aids.

7. Report on Assistance or Salvage

7.1 The master of any vessel engaged in or requested to engage in an operation to render assistance or undertake salvage should report, as far as practicable, Items A, B, C (or D), E, F, L, M, N, P, Q, R, S, T, U, X of the Standard Reporting Format (Appendix). The Master should ensure that the coastal State is kept informed of developments.

Appendix

A1. Procedures

A1.1 Reports should be sent as follows:

A2. Standard Reporting Format and Procedures

A2.1 Sections of the reporting format which are inappropriate should be omitted from the report.

A2.2 Where language difficulties may exist, the languages used should include English, using where possible the Standard Marine Navigational Vocabulary.

A2.3 Alternatively, the International Code of Signals may be used to send detailed information. When the International Code is used, the appropriate indicator should be inserted in the text, after the alphabetical index.

A2.4 For route information, latitude and longitude should be given for each turn point, expressed as in Item C below, together with type of intended track between these points, for example “RL” (rhumb line), “GC” (great circle) or “coastal”, in the case of coastal sailing the estimated date and time of passing significant points expressed by a 6 digit group as in Item B below.

Telegraphy	Telephone (alternative)	Function	Information Required
Name of system ( e.g. , MVER / MAREP / ECAREG / NORDREG / WESTREG )	Name of system ( e.g. , AMVER / MAREP / ECAREG / NORDREG / WESTREG )	System Identifier	Ship Reporting system or nearest appropriate coast radio station
DG	Dangerous goods report – packaged form	Type of report	Dangerous goods report – packaged form
HS	Harmful substances report - in bulk	Type of report	Harmful substances report - in bulk
MP	Harmful substances report - packaged from	Type of report	Harmful substances report - packaged from
A	Vessel (alpha)	Vessel identity	Name, call sign or ship station identity, and flag
B	Time (bravo)	Date and time of event	A 6 digit group giving day of month (first two digits), hours and minutes (last four digits). If other than UTC state time zone used
C	Position (charlie)	Position	A 4 digit group giving latitude in degrees and minutes suffixed with N (north) or S (south) and a 5 digit group giving longitude in degrees and minutes suffixed with E (east) or W (west); or
D	Position (delta)	Position	True bearing (first 3 digits) and distance (state distance) in nautical miles form a clearly identified landmark (state landmark)
E	Course (echo)	True course	A 3 digit group
F	Speed (foxtrot)	Speed in knots & tenths of knots	A 3 digit group
G	Departed (golf)	Port of departure	Name of last port of call
H	Entry (hotel)	Date, time and point of entry into System	Entry time expressed as in (B) and entry position expressed as in (C) or (D)
I	Destination and ETA (india)	Destination and estimated time of arrival	Name of port and date time group expressed as in (B)
J	Pilot (juliet)	Pilot	State whether a deep sea or local Pilot is on board
K	Exit (kilo)	Date, time and point of exit from system or arrival at the vessel’s destination	Exit time expressed as in (B) and exit position expressed as in (C) or (D)
L	Route (lima)	Route information	Intended track
M	Radio communications (mike)	Radio communications	State in full names of stations/frequencies guarded
N	Next report (november)	Time of next report	Date time group expressed as in (B)
O	Draught (oscar)	Maximum present static drought in metres	4 digit group giving metres and centimetres
P	Cargo (papa)	Cargo on board	Cargo and brief details of any dangerous cargoes as well as harmful substances and gases that could endanger persons or the environment (See Detailed Reporting Requirements)
Q	Defect, damage, deficiency, limitations (quebec)	Defects/damage deficiencies/ other limitations	Brief details of defects, damage, deficiencies or other limitations (See Detailed Reporting Requirements)
R	Pollution/ dangerous goods lost overboard (romeo)	Description of pollutant or dangerous goods lost overboard	Brief details of type of pollution (oil, chemicals, etc. ) or dangerous goods lost overboard; position expressed as in (C) or (D) (See Detailed Reporting Requirements)
S	Weather (sierra)	Weather conditions	Brief details of weather and sea conditions prevailing
T	Agent (tango)	Vessel’s representative and/or owner	Details of name and particulars of vessel’s representative or owner or both for provision of information (See Detailed Reporting Requirements)
U	Size and type (uniform)	Vessel size and type	Details of length, breadth, tonnage, and type etc. as required
V	Medic (victor)	Medical personnel	Doctor, physician’s assistant, nurse, no-medic
W	Persons (whiskey)	Total number of persons on board	State number
X	Remarks (x-ray)	Miscellaneous	Any other information - including as appropriate brief details of incident and of other vessels involved either in incident, assistance or salvage (See Detailed Reporting Requirements)
Y	Relay (yankee)	Request to relay report to another system e.g. , AMVER , AUSREP , JASREP , MAREP etc.	Content of report
Z	End of report (zulu)	End of report	No further information required

A3. Detailed Reporting Requirements

A3.1 Dangerous Goods Reports - Packaged Form ( DG )

A3.1.1 Primary report should contain Items, A, B, C (or D), M, Q, R, S, T, U, X of the Standard Reporting Format; details for Item R should be as follows:

R

1. Correct technical name or names of goods.
2. UN number or numbers.
3. IMO Hazard class or classes.
4. Names of manufacturers of goods when known, or consignee or consignor.
5. Types of packages including identification marks. Specify whether portable tank or tank vehicle, or whether vehicle or freight container or other cargo transport unit containing packages. Include official registration marks and numbers assigned to the unit.
6. An estimate of the quantity and likely condition of the goods.
7. Whether loss floated or sank.
8. Whether loss is continuing.
9. Cause of loss.

A3.1.2 If the condition of the vessel is such that there is danger of further loss of packaged dangerous goods into the sea, items P and Q of the Standard Reporting Format should be reported; details for P should be as follows:

P

1. Correct technical name or names of goods.
2. UN number or numbers.
3. IMO Hazard class or classes.
4. Names of manufacturers of goods when known, or consignee or consignor.
5. Types of packages including identification marks. Specify whether portable tank or tank vehicle, or whether vehicle or freight container or other cargo transport unit containing packages. Include official registration marks and numbers assigned to the unit.
6. An estimate of the quantity and likely condition of the goods.

A3.1.3 Particulars not immediately available should be inserted in a supplementary message or messages.

A3.2 Harmful Substances Reports - In Bulk ( HS )

A3.2.1 In the case of actual discharge, primary HS reports should contain Items A, B, C (or D), E, F, L, M, N, Q, R, S, T, U, X of the Standard Reporting Format. In the case of probable discharge, item P should also be included. Details for P, Q, R, T and X should be as follows:

P

1. Type of oil or the correct technical name of the noxious liquid substances on board.
2. UN number or numbers if available.
3. Pollution category (X, Y or Z), for noxious liquid substances.
4. Names of manufacturers of substances if appropriate and known, or consignee or consignor.
5. Quantity.

Q

1. Condition of the vessel as relevant.
2. Ability to transfer cargo/ballast/fuel.

R

1. Type of oil or the correct technical name of the noxious liquid substances discharged into the sea.
2. UN number or numbers if available.
3. Pollution category (X, Y or Z), for noxious liquid substances.
4. Names of manufacturers of substances if appropriate and known, or consignee or consignor.
5. An estimate of the quantity of the substances.
6. Whether loss floated or sank.
7. Whether loss is continuing.
8. Cause of loss.
9. Estimate of the movement of the discharge or loss, giving current conditions if known.
10. Estimate of the surface area of the spill if possible.

T

1. Name, address, telex and telephone number of the vessel’s owner and representative (charterer, manager or operator of the vessel or their agent).

X

1. Action being taken with regard to the discharge and the movement of the vessel.
2. Assistance or salvage efforts which have been requested or which have been provided by others.
3. The master of an assisting or salvaging vessel should report the particulars of the action undertaken or planned.

A3.2.2 Particulars not immediately available should be inserted in a supplementary message or messages.

A3.3 Harmful Substance Reports - Packaged Form ( MP )

A3.3.1 In the case of actual discharges, primary MP reports should contain Items A, B, C (or D), M, Q, R, S, T, U, X of the Standard Reporting Format. In the case of probable discharge, Item P should also be included. Details of P, Q, R, T and X should be as follows:

P

1. Correct technical name or names of goods.
2. UN number or numbers.
3. IMO Hazard class or classes.
4. Names of manufacturers of goods when known, or consignee or consignor.
5. Types of packages including identification marks. Specify whether portable tank or tank vehicle, or whether vehicle or freight container or other cargo transport unit containing packages. Include official registration marks and numbers assigned to the unit.
6. An estimate of the quantity and likely condition of the goods.

Q

1. Condition of the vessel as relevant.
2. Ability to transfer cargo/ballast/fuel.

R

1. Correct technical name or names of goods.
2. UN number or numbers.
3. IMO Hazard class or classes.
4. Names of manufacturers of goods when known, or consignee or consignor.
5. Types of packages including identification marks. Specify whether portable tank or tank vehicle, or whether vehicle or freight container or other cargo transport unit containing packages. Include official registration marks and numbers assigned to the unit.
6. An estimate of the quantity and likely condition of the goods.
7. Whether lost goods floated or sank.
8. Whether loss is continuing.
9. Cause of loss.

T

1. Name, address, telex and telephone number of the vessel’s owner and representative (charterer, manager or operator of the vessel or their agent).

X

1. Actions being taken with regard to the discharge and movement of the vessel.
2. Assistance or salvage efforts which have been requested or which have been provided by others.
3. The master of an assisting or salvaging vessel should report the particulars of the action undertaken or planned.

A3.3.2 Particulars not immediately available should be inserted in a supplementary message or messages.

A4. Primary Report Forms

A4.1 Dangerous Goods Report - Packaged Form ( DG )

Function		Report
DG	Type of report	/ DG //
A	Vessel identity	A/ /__ __ __ __//
B	Date and time of event	B/ __ __ __ __ __ __ Z //
C	Position	C/__ __ __ __N S __ __ __ __ __ E W//
D*	Position	D/ //
M	Radio communication	M/ //
P**	Cargo on board	P/*** //
Q**	Defect, damage, deficiency, other limitations	Q/ //
R	Description of dangerous goods lost overboard	R/*** //
S	Weather conditions	S/ //
T	Agent	T/ //
U	Vessel size and type	U/ //
X	Remarks	X/ //

* Report either Item C or D.

** Include if the condition of the vessel is such that there is danger of further loss of packaged dangerous goods into the sea.

*** See Detailed Reporting Requirements (Appendix A3.1).

A4.2 Harmful Substances Report - In Bulk ( HS )

Function		Report
HS	Type of report	/ HS //
A	Vessel identity	A/ /__ __ __ __//
B	Date and time of event	B/ __ __ __ __ __ __ Z //
C	Position	C/__ __ __ __N S __ __ __ __ __ E W//
D*	Position	D/ //
E	True course	E/ __ __ __ //
F	Speed in knots and tenths of knots	F/ __ __ __ //
L	Route information	L/ //
M	Radio communications	M/ //
N	Next report	N/__ __ __ __ __ __ Z//
P**	Cargo on board	P/*** //
Q	Defect, damage, deficiency, other limitations	Q/*** //
R	Description of dangerous goods lost overboard	R/*** //
S	Weather conditions	S/ //
T	Agent	T/*** //
U	Vessel size and type	U/ //
X	Remarks	X/*** //

* Report either Item C or D.

** Include in the case of a probable discharge.

*** See Detailed Reporting Requirements (Appendix A3.2).

A4.3 Harmful Substances Report - Packaged Form ( MP )

Function		Report
MP	Type of report	/ MP //
A	Vessel identity	A/ /__ __ __ __//
B	Date and time of event	B/ __ __ __ __ __ __ Z //
C	Position	C/__ __ __ __N S __ __ __ __ __ E W//
D*	Position	D/ //
M	Radio communications	M/ //
P**	Cargo on board	P/*** //
Q	Defect, damage, deficiency, other limitations	Q/*** //
R	Description of dangerous goods lost overboard	R/*** //
S	Weather conditions	S/ //
T	Agent	T/*** //
U	Vessel size and type	U/ //
X	Remarks	X/*** //

* Report either Item C or D.

** Include in the case of a probable discharge.

*** See Detailed Reporting Requirements (Appendix A3.3).