Turks & Caicos Islands
Spill Notification Point
Competent National Authority
Office of Disaster Preparedness
Ministry of Natural Resources & Social Sciences South Base,
Grand Turk Turks & Caicos
Tel: +1 649 946 2061
Fax: +1 649 946 1230
Department of Environment & Coastal Resources
Ministry of Natural Resources & Social Sciences Grand Turk Turks & Caicos
Tel: +1 649 946 2857
Fax: +1 649 946 1895
Response Arrangements
Turks and Caicos finalised their national oil spill contingency plan in 1996. The government lead agency for oil spill control is the National Disaster Preparedness Office (NDPO) within the Governor’s office. In the event of an incident, a Marine Pollution Action Group (MPAG), comprising representatives from government departments and the local oil industry, and chaired by the islands’ Deputy Governor, would convene to provide assistance. An on-scene commander would be appointed, operating under the overall control and direction of NDPO/MPAG. An Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) has been established.
The local oil industry has agreed to provide the first tier response, and tier 2 and 3 response if one of their tankers is involved. In other situations, assistance would be sought from the UK and adjacent Caribbean island states and territories using procedures identified in the Caribbean Island OPRC Plan via REMPEITC-Carib.
Response Policy
The islands’ response strategy is based on combined approach of containment and recovery, the use of chemical dispersants and manual shoreline cleanup. The use of dispersants requires the approval of the MPAG.
Limited amounts of contaminated beach material and debris could be landfilled at the islands’ public refuse tip. Larger volumes and recovered liquid oil would be exported for final treatment and disposal.
Equipment
Government
There is no government owned recovery equipment in stock on the island for offshore counter measures. The Department of Public Works & Utilities could arrange local labour and some earth moving equipment for shoreline cleanup. There are no local stockpiles of dispersant or application equipment.
Private
The local oil industry has limited equipment in place to respond to small spills from their facilities. The airport of Turks and Caicos could handle light type aircraft and helicopters for aerial surveillance purposes and passenger handling. Heavy counter pollution equipment from CCA and/or OSRL has to be shipped via Fort Lauderdale or the Dominican Republic.
Previous Spill Experience
There have been no known major spills affecting the Turks & Caicos Islands.
Conventions
Prevention & Safety
| MARPOL Annexes | ||||
| 73/78 | III | IV | V | VI |
Spill Response
| OPRC '90 | OPRC HNS |
Compensation
| CLC | Fund | Supp | HNS* | Bunker | ||
| '69 | '76 | '92 | '92 | Fund | ||
* not yet in force
Regional & Bilateral Agreements
- Cartagena Convention (with states of the Wider Caribbean Region).n&openNum=1)
Date of issue: May 2006
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