Spill Notification Point

Competent National Authority

Response Arrangements

A national contingency plan for accidental marine pollution, extending to the 12-mile territorial limit, was adopted by the government of the Republic of Croatia in January 1997. The principal pollution control authority is the Ministry of Interior, which takes the lead in the central government organisation for contingency planning and spill response. At the local level the lead authority is provided by the assemblies of the seven maritime counties, together with the Harbour Master’s Offices in each county, which are under central government control. County contingency plans for marine pollution response are being prepared.

In the event of an incident, an NCP Control Centre based at the Ministry of Interior in Zagreb would be established. The Control Centre would be composed of government-designated representatives of interested ministries and departments. The representative, or deputy, from the Ministry of Interior would be in charge of the Control Centre and may take unilateral actions in the interests of promoting rapid spill response. Depending on the particular circumstances of an incident, the Control Centre would be expected to assess pollution risks and implement the NCP. The Centre would monitor and assign duties to Operational Centres with representatives designated by the maritime county assembly affected by a pollution incident. The Commander of each Operational Centre would be in overall charge of operations, collaborating with the relevant Harbour Master’s Office and operating from a base determined by the County Assembly.

At government level, response at sea is the responsibility of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, Transport and Communications.  The Ministry of Defence is responsible for operations on shore. Actual clean-up work would be carried out by commercial contractors under the direction of the Commander of the Operational Centre. In the event of a pollution incident affecting several maritime counties, the lead for spill response would be taken by the Operational Centre of either Primorsko-Goranska County (Rijeka), Splitsko-Dalmatinska County (Split) or Dubrovacko-Neretvanska County (Dubrovnik). For incidents of national significance, the Operational Centre of Primorsko-Goranska County would take charge of on-scene response activity.

Response Policy

Any response would first aim to control the source of pollution and contain and recover any floating oil. The use of dispersants listed in the national plan, or exceptionally those approved for use by other Mediterranean countries, is allowed. Authorisation by the Head of the Operational Centre must first be sought prior to their use. A list of sensitive areas and areas where the use of dispersants is restricted or prohibited is attached to the national plan.

Equipment

Government

The main Operational Centres in Rijeka and Split hold some basic stocks of equipment and materials. A third depot is planned for Ploce, in Dubrovacko-Neretvanska County. The emergency services, including fire fighting units, would provide manpower support to the Operational Centres. In the event of a large, labour-intensive operation, additional manpower resources would be available from the Home Guard civil defence units.

Private

A number of clean-up contractors operate in the main Croatian ports. In particular, ‘Dezinsekcija’ operate several large response vessels, skimmers, pumps, boom, storage tanks and dispersant spraying equipment at Rijeka. Further equipment such as vacuum trucks can be subcontracted in.

Previous Spill Experience

Not known

Compensation

* not yet in force 

Regional & Bilateral Agreements

• Barcelona Convention (with states bordering the Mediterranean)

For further information see REMPEC (Regional Marine Pollution Emergency Response Centre for the Mediterranean Sea) Country Profile (http://www.rempec.org/country.asp?cid=4&IDS=2_1&daNme=General%20Information&openNum=1) 

Date of issue: August 2010