The ISU President says: 'This plan builds on the four proposals we put to the IMO in mid-2002, for inclusion in the agency's new international guidelines on places of refuge. It is obvious, however, that the guidelines are not enough. It is for this reason that the ISU has put forward the 10-point plan which, if adopted, would require action by individual governments, by the EU and the IMO. We need a global response to a global problem.'

The 10-point plan put forward by the ISU proposes:

1. EU-wide adoption of the UK command and control model, based on decision-making by only two individuals: the Salvage Master and a Ministerial Representative with a detailed understanding of salvage and full powers to act in the public interest.

2. Accelerated implementation of the June 2002 EU Directive which requires Member States to identify places of refuge and implement the new IMO Guidelines, when they become available.

3. Accelerated work on producing the new IMO guidelines on refuge for ship casualties.

4. Formation of an ISU Task Force, to work alongside the IMO Group on Places of Refuge.

5. 'No rejection without inspection!' This would require acceptance of the principle that a decision on a request for shelter should not be taken without physical inspection of the ship.

6. Consideration of the consequences of refusing shelter.

A Risk Assessment Model should be used to demonstrate that a solution other than refuge is the best environmental option.

7. Establishment of an Expert Panel, to help governments identify the best environmental option when confronted with a major spill threat.

8. Construction of an EU Casualty Response Database.

9. An assessment of the adequacy of provision of salvage in EU waters, to be carried out by the new European Maritime Safety Agency.

10. A review of the value of additional salvage standby schemes, to protect vulnerable coastlines.

The idea behind measure 4 is to use ISU salvors' expertise to develop a Risk Assessment Model which takes account of the many variables involved in decision-making, from weather conditions and tug availability, to degree of damage and environmental vulnerabilities.

This template - designed to identify the best environmental option - would then be applied, in casualty situations, by the Expert Panel proposed in measure 7. The panel would include experts in salvage, spill behaviour, environmental impact and clean-up.

Measure 8 is a longer-term solution to the need to obtain prompt information on the availability of salvage tugs and other key assets, when confronted with a major emergency. This could involve the development of a sophisticated system capable of real-time tracking of large salvage tugs. The system would also hold up-to-date information on the availability of a wide range of equipment for salvage, cargo transfer and clean-up.

Joop Timmermans adds: 'These measures will now be taken forward by the ISU, in detailed proposals to the submitted to the EU and the IMO.'