33 CFR 155.1130: Prepositioned oil spill response equipment in Prince William Sound

Last reviewed: October 14, 2026

This section lists the prepositioned response equipment that a tanker's owner or operator must provide within Prince William Sound. It sets recovery and storage capacities with on-scene times, and adds boom, supplies, an escort response vessel and lightering resources. This equipment is in addition to what § 155.1035 requires.

Applies toThe owner or operator of a tanker subject to this subpart.

What it says

  1. The owner or operator of a tanker subject to this subpart must provide the listed prepositioned response equipment within Prince William Sound, in addition to what § 155.1035 requires.

    “shall provide the following prepositioned response equipment, located within Prince William Sound, in addition to that required by § 155.1035”

  2. The owner or operator must provide on-water recovery equipment with a minimum effective daily recovery capacity of 30,000 barrels, capable of being on scene within 6 hours of notification of a discharge.

    33 CFR 155.1130(a)“On-water recovery equipment with a minimum effective daily recovery capacity of 30,000 barrels, capable of being on scene within 6 hours of notification of a discharge.”

  3. The owner or operator must provide on-water storage capacity of 100,000 barrels, capable of being on scene within 6 hours of notification of a discharge.

    33 CFR 155.1130(b)“On-water storage capacity of 100,000 barrels, capable of being on scene within 6 hours of notification of a discharge.”

  4. The owner or operator must provide additional on-water recovery equipment with a minimum effective daily recovery capacity of 40,000 barrels, capable of being on scene within 18 hours of notification of a discharge.

    33 CFR 155.1130(c)“Additional on-water recovery equipment with a minimum effective daily recovery capacity of 40,000 barrels capable of being on scene within 18 hours of notification of a discharge.”

  5. The owner or operator must provide on-water storage capacity of 300,000 barrels for recovered oily material, capable of being on scene within 24 hours of notification of a discharge.

    33 CFR 155.1130(d)“On-water storage capacity of 300,000 barrels for recovered oily material, capable of being on scene within 24 hours of notification of a discharge.”

  6. The owner or operator must provide the listed protection equipment, such as boom, boats, sorbents and shoreline cleanup equipment, for sufficient protection of the environment in the locations identified in § 155.1125(a)(1)(ii).

    33 CFR 155.1130(f)“For sufficient protection of the environment in the locations identified in § 155.1125(a)(1)(ii)—”

  7. For each oil-laden tanker, the owner or operator must provide an escorting response vessel fitted with skimming and on board storage capabilities practicable for the initial oil recovery planned for a cleanup operation, as identified by the oil spill removal organization.

    33 CFR 155.1130(g)“For each oil-laden tanker, an escorting response vessel which is fitted with skimming and on board storage capabilities practicable for the initial oil recovery planned for a cleanup operation”

  8. The owner or operator must provide the lightering resources required in subpart I of this part, capable of arriving on scene within 6 hours of notification of a discharge.

    33 CFR 155.1130(h)“Lightering resources required in subpart I of this part capable of arriving on scene within 6 hours of notification of a discharge.”

Common questions

Where must prepositioned response equipment be located for tankers?

The equipment must be located within Prince William Sound. It is in addition to the equipment required by § 155.1035.

“shall provide the following prepositioned response equipment, located within Prince William Sound, in addition to that required by § 155.1035”

How fast must the 100,000 barrel on-water storage be on scene?

It must be capable of being on scene within 6 hours of notification of a discharge.

“On-water storage capacity of 100,000 barrels, capable of being on scene within 6 hours of notification of a discharge.”

Does each oil-laden tanker need an escort response vessel?

Yes. Each oil-laden tanker needs an escorting response vessel fitted with skimming and on board storage capabilities practicable for the initial oil recovery planned, as identified by the oil spill removal organization.

“For each oil-laden tanker, an escorting response vessel which is fitted with skimming and on board storage capabilities practicable for the initial oil recovery planned for a cleanup operation”

The text of 33 CFR 155.1130

Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), current as of March 31, 2026 · Read it on eCFR

Requirements for prepositioned response equipment

The owner or operator of a tanker subject to this subpart shall provide the following prepositioned response equipment, located within Prince William Sound, in addition to that required by § 155.1035:

(a) On-water recovery equipment with a minimum effective daily recovery capacity of 30,000 barrels, capable of being on scene within 6 hours of notification of a discharge.

(b) On-water storage capacity of 100,000 barrels, capable of being on scene within 6 hours of notification of a discharge.

(c) Additional on-water recovery equipment with a minimum effective daily recovery capacity of 40,000 barrels capable of being on scene within 18 hours of notification of a discharge.

(d) On-water storage capacity of 300,000 barrels for recovered oily material, capable of being on scene within 24 hours of notification of a discharge.

(e) On-water oil recovery devices and storage equipment located in communities and at strategic locations.

(f) For sufficient protection of the environment in the locations identified in § 155.1125(a)(1)(ii)—

(1) Boom appropriate for the specific locations;

(2) Sufficient boats to deploy boom and sorbents;

(3) Sorbents including booms, sweeps, pads, blankets, drums and plastic bags;

(4) Personnel protective clothing and equipment;

(5) Survival equipment;

(6) First aid supplies;

(7) Buckets, shovels, and various other tools;

(8) Decontamination equipment;

(9) Shoreline cleanup equipment;

(10) Mooring equipment;

(11) Anchored buoys at appropriate locations to facilitate the positioning of defensive boom; and

(12) Other appropriate removal equipment for the protection of the environment as identified by the COTP.

(g) For each oil-laden tanker, an escorting response vessel which is fitted with skimming and on board storage capabilities practicable for the initial oil recovery planned for a cleanup operation, as identified by the oil spill removal organization.

(h) Lightering resources required in subpart I of this part capable of arriving on scene within 6 hours of notification of a discharge.

Sections it refers to

The plain-English explanation on this page was written with AI from the regulation text above and checked automatically before publishing: every quote appears in the text, every number comes from it, and a second model confirmed each statement adds nothing the text doesn't say. Regulation text current as of March 31, 2026. The regulation text governs. RegKnot is not affiliated with the U.S. Coast Guard.