The primary objective of the EMSA Stand-by Oil Spill Recovery Vessel service, and therefore of this procurement procedure, is to protect the coastlines of EU Member States. This is in accordance with its founding Regulation 1406/2002/EC as amended.

The Agency intends to establish, for certain defined areas of the EU coastline, additional response capacity to that of the pollution response mechanisms of Member States in case of a major oil spill.

For each area this can be provided by either a single vessel or through a “pool” of vessels arrangement. EMSA would like to utilise vessels that are engaged in economic activities, during the contract period, in the identified area, by establishing Service Contracts for their availability during a (major) incident for spill response activities.

Following a request for assistance, such vessels would be transformed into oil recovery vessels and made available at short notice for at-sea oil recovery activities during a (major) oil spill.

The implementation of the contract encompasses the following phases:

1) Preparation Phase (estimated between 0 and 10 months following signature of the contract depending on the vessel(s) offered and needs) during which the Contractor will have to:

— adapt or pre-fit, if needed, the vessel(s) concerned in order to bring it(them) up to “Occasional Oil Recovery Vessel” classification or equivalent,

— carry out the transportation and servicing, if necessary, of the oil pollution response equipment and dispersants transferred from EMSA,

— purchase and obtain all certificates for the oil pollution response equipment to be purchased.

Both the pre-fitting and equipment costs can be pre-financed by the Agency in accordance with the rules established in the Vessel Availability Contract.

2) Stand-by Phase (between 45 and 48 months after the Preparation Phase, renewable for an additional period of 4 years) during which the vessel(s) will:

— under normal circumstances, carry out their usual commercial activities, train the crew, participate to regular drills and to oil pollution exercises on request. Participation in at-sea spill response exercises and similar activities will either be for a maximum of 10 days a year per contract or 3 days per vessel offered, whichever is more. These days are inclusive of time to sail to/from exercise location,

— in the event of a (major) oil spill and following a request for assistance, via the Agency, by a coastal State, the vessel(s) will cease its usual activity as soon as possible and will operate as an at-sea oil recovery vessel(s). The services will be provided to the Requesting Party on the basis of the “Incident Response” contract. The vessel(s) must be available, at short notice, in the geographical area, during the whole period of the contract for pollution response activities to ensure rapid mobilisation.

3) Closure Phase (up to 3 months after the end of the Stand-by Phase) during which the contractor will complete the necessary reporting and handover the Oil pollution Response Equipment and dispersants to EMSA’s designated representatives.