Page 39: of Marine News Magazine (April 2012)

www.marinelink.com The Washington State Maritime Cooperative (WSMC) is a co-op that provides oil spill contingency plan coverage and an emergency response sys- tem to vessels in Puget Sound. WSMC utilizes the services of a primary contractor, NRC Environmental Services Company, a subsidiary or NRC, to maintain a response network of equipment and personnel. The response may include deployment of vessels, boom equipment, skimmers, a quali- fied incident commander and response personnel, among other resources. Co-ops are just one mechanism potential spillers can use to protect them- selves, their people and the environment. Many big companies have joined forces to create member-owned and operated, non-profit oil spill response organizations which function as both co-op and contractor. These organi- zations perform spill response with their own equipment and personnel as well as using subcontractors where appropriate. Some member-based organizations cover specific regions such as those OSROs in Alaska, including Alaska Clean Seas, providing response servic- es to the North Slope crude oil producers, and the Ship Escort Response Vessel System (SERVS), covering Prince William Sound and the Valdez Marine Terminal. Other Alaska OSROs include Alaska Chadux Corporation, Southeast Alaska Petroleum Resource Organization (SEAPRO) and Cook Inlet Spill Prevention & Response, Inc. (CISPRI). INSIDEOSRO S, LARGE & SMALLSteve Candito has been with the National Response Corporation since its beginnings in 1992 and has served as its president since 1999. NRC is Were generally not opposed to new regulations, but what we are opposed to is requirements that are really not cost effective. And thats what were seeing with the vessel of opportunity and new technology proposals being put forth.? Steve Candito, GM, National Response Corporation