Discharges from your own boat
As a boat owner, you are responsible for preventing oil, fuel and other polluting substances from getting into the water. Even small discharges can harm the environment and lead to costs for environmental rescue operations. You can reduce the risk of discharges by handling fuel and oil correctly and making sure your boat is in good condition.
Oil discharges into our waters can cause serious damage to the environment. As a boat owner, you are responsible for making sure that fuel and other oil does not enter the water. This means you are obliged to compensate the Swedish Coast Guard for measures taken during an environmental rescue operation. There is no lower limit below which it is allowed to discharge oil. Even small discharges must be prevented as far as possible.
How you can prevent an oil spill
- Keep a regular watch on your boat and do not leave it unattended for long periods, to avoid it sinking at the quay.
- Be careful when you refuel, both at a marina fuel station and when using fuel cans, to avoid unnecessary spills.
- Avoid bilge water mixed with oil, which may be pumped out by an automatic bilge pump.
The polluter pays principle
Claiming oil damage compensation for the state's environmental rescue costs under chapter 10 or 10 a of the Swedish Maritime Code is part of the Coast Guard's mission. This is not a punishment. It means that the owner takes financial responsibility for the environmental rescue work, which would otherwise be paid for by taxpayers. The money goes into a state account, not to the Coast Guard. In one year, there are about 60 cases, and a majority of them involve leisure boats.
Insurance can cover the costs of an oil spill
There are insurance policies for leisure boat owners that cover the costs of an environmental rescue operation. Taking out insurance is not a requirement, but the costs can be high if you are uninsured.
Preventive measures also cost money and resources
The Coast Guard carries out environmental rescue services when oil has entered the water or when there is an imminent danger of this. An oil discharge does not need to have happened. A serious and immediate threat of oil damage is enough for the Coast Guard to start an environmental rescue operation. Examples are a grounding, or a vessel drifting towards land with a risk of being damaged and causing an oil spill. Even if no oil is discharged, you as a vessel owner can be required to pay compensation for the Coast Guard's expenses in connection with the incident.
