b. The center stations oil recovery vessels, oil booms and other oil spill removal equipment, materials, etc., throughout the nation, and furnishes these for the use of shipowners and other parties.
c. The center conducts various study and training programs, including practical fire-fighting exercises to accommodate the shipboard fire extinguishing seminars required by the Mariner's Law and practical oil removal exercises, for the officers of tankers, employees of oil related facilities and other parties concerned. As of the end of FY 1995, about 39,100 people had participated in these study and training programs.
d. The center conducts studies and research concerning oil removal techniques to cope with large-scale oil spill accidents and technology related to maritime disaster preparedness.
e. The center undertakes other tasks, such as those related to watching for fires on tankers in Tokyo Bay and maintaining a maritime disaster preparedness system at national oil storage bases.
Furthermore, the amendments to the Marine Pollution Prevention Law, adopted in May 1995, gave the center additional responsibilities. They are: collection and provision of information related to maritime disaster preparedness and response measures, provision of guidance and advice related to maritime disaster preparedness and response measures upon the request of shipowners and other parties, and international cooperation related to maritime disaster prevention. The revised law aims to further enrich the center's operations.
JMSA provides guidance and supervision to facilitate the execution of the center's operations. The Agency is thereby endeavoring to establish a maritime disaster preparedness and response system that unites the public and private sectors.
