Containers and packages lost at sea
Operational Guide. Cedre: 2001, 82p. Price of printed version: 26.07 Euros (excluding tax)
The aim of this operational guide is to provide
the information necessary for an initial decision
to be taken even before any precise information
from the shipping companies involved is
available.
Under the conditions prevailing at the beginning
of a crisis, a hurried assessment of the
situation and of the dangers involved is a
potential source of blunders and errors that
may lead to an aggravation of the situation.
General information about the containers and
their contents is easily accessible and reference
to it may enable major mistakes through undue
haste, negligence or ignorance to be avoided.
The initial assessment will naturally develop
gradually as the information becomes more
precise following investigations carried out by
the response authorities in charge.
This
guide is intended mainly for:
• personnel on board ships involved in taking action;
• personnel, on board or not, responsible for airborne
operations;
• any official responsible for operations dealing with
packages lost at sea.
A printed version of this guide is available: please contact
Cedre for more information.
A WARNING, NOTIFICATION, INITIAL STEPS
A.1 - Loss reported by ship where the incident occurred
A.2 - Unknown package located by chance
A.3 - Unknown package recovered accidentally
A.4 - Notification, initial steps
B DESCRIPTION OF PACKAGES
B.1 - Drums
B.1a - High density polyethylene (HDPE) or plastic drums
B.1b - Steel or lacquered iron drums
B.1c - Kraft drums
B.2 - General-purpose containers
B.3 - Tank containers
C BEHAVIOUR OF PACKAGES
C.1 - Resistance to environmental attack
C.2 - Determination of the buoyancy of an object
C.3 - Estimation of drift
C.4 - Estimation of motion produced on the seabed
D SUBSTANCES TRANSPORTED
D.1 - IMO (International Maritime Organization) classifications of goods
D.1a - MARPOL classification
D.1b - IMDG classification
D.2 - Labelling of packages
E RISK PROFILES
E.1 - Harmless substances
E.2 - Dangerous substances
E.2a - MARPOL substances A and B: explosives, reagents, toxic substances
E.2b - MARPOL substances C and D
E.2c - GESAMP assessment of risk profiles
E.3 - Unknown substances: no markings
F DECISION-MAKING
F.1 - MARPOL substances A
F.2 - MARPOL substances B, C and D
F.3 - Explosives
F.4 - Other substances capable of exploding and reacting (IMO 2.1, 3, 4, 5 and 8)
F.5 - Toxic substances (IMO 6 and 2.3)
F.6 - Harmless substances
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G SEARCHING
G.1 - Surface searches
G.1a - Visual detection
G.1b - Side-looking airborne radar (SLAR)
G.2 - Underwater search and detection
G.2a - Echo sounding
G.2b - Multibeam sonars
G.2c - Sonars used in minesweeping
G.2d - Towed sonars
G.2e - Magnetometry
G.2f - Underwater cameras
H MARKING, BEACONING
H.1 - Surface marking
H.1a - Choice of float
H.1b - Identification
H.2 - Marking on the sea-bed
H.3 - Increasing the buoyancy
i RECOVERY, DESTRUCTION
i.1 - Recovery of floating drums
i.2 - Recovery of floating containers
I.2a - Taking on board
I.2b - Towing
i.3 - Recovery of drums lying on the sea-bed
i.4 - Recovery of a container lying on the sea-bed
i.4a - Action by divers
i.4b - Use of manned submersibles or remotely-operated vehicles (ROVs)
i.5 - Destruction
J MONITORING OF DEVELOPMENTS