Oil Spill Response Limited (OSRL) MCA Associate Membership

This notice provides further information regarding the agreement between the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) and Oil Spill Response Limited (OSRL) for the MCAs access to OSRL's backup Boeing 727 fitted with TERSUS aerial dispersant spray system, when it is not required by OSRL or its members, to supplement the MCAs existing 737 400 aerial spray capability.

To access the service, the MCA is required to be an Associate Member of OSRL and enter into a further agreement with OSRL which sets out how MCA will be able to access such service and any restrictions around the same because of OSRL's obligations to its wider membership.

The contract for the current Associate Membership, ends on 15th September 2024 but has the option for annual renewal. The MCA's aerial dispersant spray service is a key component of its oil spill response capability. This service is currently, and will continue to be, delivered by Reconnaissance Ventures Limited (RVL) using modified Boeing 737 400s, fitted with an oil dispersant spray system, until the end of the current contract term, prior to which a fair and open competition will take place for a replacement contracted provision. However, the Agency has an immediate requirement to maintain an increased aerial spray delivery capacity.

This arrangement will help to address a shortfall in the MCA's aerial dispersant capability, which has arisen in part because of an ageing legacy fleet and in part because of delays (caused by unanticipated regulatory changes) to the implementation of the MCA's new 737 spray system by its incumbent contractor, RVL. While one new 737 spray kit has been manufactured for the MCA and is now in use, to manufacture a second with less than two years remaining on the current contract would not be cost effective in comparison to contracting with OSRL for the use of an already operational system.

This will be an interim measure which will be in place until the conclusion of the MCA's contract with RVL, allowing for a capability review of the MCA's counter pollution resources to be undertaken and a resourcing strategy to be formulated as to how we proceed in the longer term, which will likely be followed by one or more competitive procurements.