As an island nation, Australia is almost totally dependent on shipping as its lifeline to the rest of the world. Australian industry transports by sea millions of tonnes of raw materials, manufactured products, primary produce, crude oil and oil products each year. This makes for a tremendous amount of coastline traffic and, inevitably, risk of incidents.

The establishment in 1991 of the Australian Marine Oil Spill Centre (AMOSC) in Geelong, Victoria, at a cost of ten million dollars represents a major commitment by the Australian oil industry to safeguard the Australian coastline in the event of a major oil spill.

The Centre is financed by nine participating oil companies and other subcriber companies. These companies carry out the vast majority of the oil and gas production, offshore pipeline, terminal operations and tanker movements around the Australian coast.

AMOSC operates Australia's major oil spill response equipment stockpile on 24 hour stand-by for rapid response anywhere around the Australian coast. The Geelong location places the response centre at the heart of oil movements in Australian coastal waters and has excellent access to road and air transport.

The training facility established at the Centre provides world-class training in the theoretical, planning and practical issues of oil spill response management for oil industry, government and other personnel.

In order to ensure that the best possible resources are applied to an oil spill response, oil company owned equipment is shared under a voluntary mutual aid arrangement called AMOSplan. This mutual aid is provided through the umbrella of the AMOSC hiring arrangements.

AMOSC resources, equipment and services are available to all interested parties.

The activities of AMOSC are fully integrated into 'The National Plan to Combat Pollution of the Sea by Oil and other Hazardous and Noxious Substances'. The "National Plan" is managed by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority on behalf of the Federal, State and Northern Territory authorities and the oil and shipping industries. The oil industry contributes to the equipment and running costs of the National Plan through the Federal levy on shipping.

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