American Club Circular No. 1 3/15 1 FEBRUARY 20, 2015 CIRCULAR NO. 13/15 TO MEMBERS OF THE ASSOCIATION Dear Member: US VESSEL RESPONSE PLANS – UPDATES REGARDING ALASKA AND GUAM Members are asked to note the following recent developments in regard to the above. Western Alaska Reference is made to Circulars 05/14 and 07/14 of January 23 and January 28, 2014 respectively. Non-tank vessels in transit through Western Alaska waters en-route to or from a US port are required to follow Alternative Planning Criteria (APC) in order to fulfil federal requirements. In order to meet APC requirements, Members must enroll with the current sole provider of such services, the Alaska Maritime Prevention and Response Network (AK-AMPRN – the Network). Previously, neither the enrolment form of the Network nor the contractual terms of their primary response contractor, Alaska Chadux, conformed with International Group guidelines on vessel response plan contracts (the Guidelines), exposing Members to liabilities which fell outside the scope of P&I cover. As a result of extensive recent discussions between the International Group and the Network and Alaska Chadux, the situation in respect of the terms of the respective enrolment form and contracts has been satisfactorily resolved, as set out below. Alaska Maritime Prevention and Response Network (AK-AMPRN) The wording of the Network enrolment form has been amended to conform with the Guidelines. The conforming enrolment form has the footer: "Network Enrollment Agreement Part II – Terms and Conditions [02.2015v1]" Members who sign up with the Network from February 20, 2015 therefore no longer require additional cover. Those Members still operating under an existing, non-conforming enrolment form are encouraged to contact the Network and explore the possibility of switching to the new conforming form. For those Members unable to switch to the new conforming form, additional market insurance has been arranged by the International Group to give limited cover in respect of liabilities arising out of the non-conforming indemnity provisions of those existing enrolment forms which would fall outside of standard P&I cover . This insurance, relating to a limited period of existence of the non-conforming enrolment forms until their natural expiration, will be provided at no cost to Members and does not require Members to notify the Club when transiting Western Alaska. American Club Circular No. 1 3/15 2 Alaska Chadux Members of the Network are required to sign a contract with Alaska Chadux in the event of a spill. Calls at Western Alaska ports for both tanker and non-tank vessels may also require Members to contract directly with Alaska Chadux. Previously, the terms of the Alaska Chadux contract did not conform with the Guidelines, again potentially exposing Members to liabilities falling outside the scope of P&I cover. The wording of the Alaska Chadux contract has now been amended so that it conforms with the Guidelines and Members therefore no longer require additional insurance in order to contract with Alaska Chadux. The conforming contract has the footer: "Non-Member RAC (Network Form v2)" Guam Reference is made to Circulars 05/14 and 07/14 of January 23 and January 28, 2014 respectively. Guam Response Services Limited (GRSL) As of January 19, 2015, GRSL (whose contract does not conform with the Guidelines) no longer offers services to non-members and the International Group is informed that they will cease to opera