This page contains oil spill prevention resources for the maritime industry. The information here includes best practices to reduce oil spill risk, case studies with lessons learned, and Washington state inspection checklists and regulation.
Vessel oil spill prevention resources
These resources include lesson learned and best practices to reduce the frequency and severity of oil spills and accidents.
General resources
Deck resources
Engineering resources
Washington State Contingency Plans and spill reporting, enforcement, and penalties
Bunkering and oil transfer spill prevention resources
WAC 317-40 contains Washington’s rule for bunkering and WAC 173-184 contains the rules for transferring oil over water. These Focus Sheets include lesson learned and best practices to prevent oil spills during oil transfers.
Standards and checklists
Ecology inspectors board vessels to ensure the unique concerns of Washington State are addressed and our Accepted Industry Standards are understood and implemented. We use Washington state Accepted Industry Standards for Cargo and Passenger vessels and checklists to assess vessels for substantial risk of oil spills.
Cargo and passenger vessel standards and checklists
Fishing vessel standards and checklists
Bunkering checklist
Regulatory requirements (Washington State laws and regulations)
The Department of Ecology Spills Program operates under the authority of Washington State rules and regulations.