Section 3. Measures against Maritime Disaster
In preparation for any maritime disaster such as oil spills, fire at the sea,
etc., the Maritime Safety Agency is improving or building patrol vessels/craft,
etc. equipped with materials for prevention or eradication of oil slicks and the
capability of extinguishing fires. On the basis of the revision in this year of
the "Law relating to the Prevention of Marine Pollution and Maritime Disaster",
the Maritime Safety Agency has made it compulsory for oil storage facilities to
keep an oil pollution emergency and has decided to draw up the plan for the prevention
or eradication of oil slicks for all sea areas in Japan. In addition, the National
Strike Team consisting of members of specialists of prevention and eradication
of oil slick has been organized in the Third Regional Maritime Safety Headquarters
in this fiscal year.
Improvement and strengthening of the Maritime Disaster Prevention Center,
a nucleus private organization regarding the prevention of maritime disaster,
has been carried on, thus contributing to strengthening the system of prevention
and eradicating of oil slicks by setting up a Training Course for oil spill combatting.
