Elements and Performance Criteria
- Confirm environmental management responsibilities
- Legislative and regulatory requirements, and approvals that apply to the vessel are interpreted
- Own scope of authority/responsibility for achieving specific environmental outcomes for the vessel and the roles of other key personnel are clarified
- Resources available to implement environmental management policies for the vessel are identified
- Develop a positive environmental reputation
- Stakeholders, their relationship to the vessel and perceived attitudes about the vessel are identified
- Appropriate strategies are used to foster the trust and confidence of stakeholders
- Requests for information are responded to in the appropriate format and a timely manner
- Difficult situations are identified and solutions are negotiated using a collaborative approach
- Regular feedback is obtained and used to enhance positive relations
- Provide environmental management information and training
- Environmental management plans and recent incident reports are used to identify training needs of crew members
- Information and training is developed and provided to ensure all crew members understand their environmental obligations/responsibilities
- Crew member understanding of environmental obligations/responsibilities for work areas and activities is confirmed
- Effectiveness of the information and training is monitored and additional information/training is provided as required
- Assess environmental impacts and risks
- Activities are reviewed to identify implications for environmental management
- Potential risks and incidents that may cause harm to the environment are identified
- Inspections and in situ measurements are conducted to quantify risks and impacts
- Assessment of risks and impacts are reported according to organisational procedures
- Ensure environmental monitoring and management plans are implemented
- Environmental monitoring instruments are checked to ensure they are fully functioning
- Specified environmental monitoring and inspections are conducted to check performance against environmental management requirements
- Additional monitoring/inspections are conducted after atypical events or requests from authorities to assess whether environmental management plan is operating
- Results for monitoring/inspections are analysed to identify significant trends, non-conformance and/or incidents
- Respond to environmental non-conformance and incidents
- Unusual situations, unexpected risks/hazards and potential/actual environmental incidents are recognised
- Organisational procedures for responding to environmental noncompliance and incidents are implemented to ensure prompt control and remediation
- Causes of noncompliance and incidents are investigated according to organisational procedures
- Findings are analysed to identify opportunities to improve work practices, environmental controls, crew training and/or management procedures
- Corrective/preventative actions are implemented to prevent recurrence of noncompliance and incidents, and to reduce risks
- Reports are completed according to organisational procedures
- Keep the Master informed about environmental performance
- Maintain environmental records