SOPEP
SOPEP (Shipboard Oil Pollution Emergency Plan) is a plan that every oil tanker and most other ships above a certain size must carry under MARPOL Annex I. It sets out exactly what the crew must do if oil is spilled or threatens to be spilled — the reporting steps, who to contact ashore and in the coastal state, and the actions to stop, contain and clean up the spill.
The plan lists emergency contacts, national reporting points and the ship SOPEP equipment (booms, absorbents, tools), and is supported by drills. On chemical tankers the equivalent is the SMPEP (Shipboard Marine Pollution Emergency Plan), which also covers noxious liquid substances.
In a spill, minutes matter and confusion is the enemy; SOPEP is the pre-agreed, drilled plan that tells the crew who to call and what to do immediately, so the response is fast and correct. It is a MARPOL requirement because a well-executed first response is what limits the damage and the liability.
What is the difference between SOPEP and SMPEP?
SOPEP covers oil pollution and is required on oil-carrying ships; SMPEP (the Shipboard Marine Pollution Emergency Plan) also covers noxious liquid substances and is carried on chemical tankers.