24 December 2015
To all Members,
As of 1 January 2016, MSRC will no longer provide California Shoreline Protection (“CASP”) and On Water Response Coverage services for vessels calling at the Port of Hueneme, California USA and/or transiting the southbound traffic lanes of the Santa Barbara Channel. While MSRC will no longer provide the enhanced coverage, they will continue to meet the planning standards for 12 hours and greater in the Santa Barbara Channel and Port Hueneme and will respond in these areas in the event of an incident.
However from 1 January 2016, So Cal Ship Services (SCSS) will provide CASP response services to meet the 2 hour skimming and the shoreline protection planning standards if calling at Port Hueneme and 6 Hour On-Water Recovery response services to meet the 6 hour skimming planning standard, if transiting the southbound traffic lanes of the Santa Barbara Channel, to enable compliance with the California State Regulations.
The wording of the So Cal Ship Services Shoreline Protection Agreement has been amended to conform with International Group Guidelines. The conforming Agreement has the footer:
'SQMS-ADM-500 SLP-SBC Agreement – Rev 0-0 12-15'.
These changes only affect those shipowners who name MSRC in their California Tank and Non-tank Vessel Response Plans and operating in either the Santa Barbara Channel or entering Port Hueneme.
All Clubs in the International Group have issued similar circulars.