VPS.system – the computer aided contingency planning system for Marine pollution control

Abstract

The German coastal areas of the Baltic and North Seas are part of the most highly-frequented shipping routes worldwide. The high density of shipping traffic requires effective prevention planning, especially to protect the environment from dangers implicit with high density shipping traffic. The pollution of seas and coasts are unavoidable. Therefore the Ministries for Environment of the Coastal States, in cooperation with the Federal Ministry of Transport, Building, and Housing compiled a plan for the entire German North and Baltic Seas, that assists the onshore response measures implemented in case of a pollutant release. The main function of the VorsorgePlanSchadstoffunfallbekämpfung (VPS) - Contingency Plan for Marine Pollution Control – is derived from collection, storage, and dissemination of such information that are necessary or useful for the prevention of, as well as the response to, pollution incidents.