New contract will help speed spill response times
Overview
The two standard contracts are a first for spill response contractors. One is tailored for international use and the other is specifically for use in the United States and both are available free of charge from www.bimco.org.
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. Other partners, including ITOPF and individual response contractors, also contributed.
Tony Paulson, West of England P&I Club, who led the drafting team, said:
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
Matthew Sommerville, International Spill Control Organization (ISCO) added:
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
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 terms and conditions are set out in standard clauses with accompanying annexes for the different parties to insert detailed descriptions of the required services and rates for personnel and equipment.
The contracts and explanatory notes can be obtained through BIMCO’s website and any questions can be sent to contracts@bimco.org.
VPS Bunker Alerts
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