Oil spill contingency planning is in the spotlight at an IMO regional workshop in Pulau Indah, Malaysia (2-6 July). The workshop is helping countries* in South East Asia become more familiar with the ASEAN Regional Oil Spill Contingency Plan - designed to enhance cooperation between States. Participants are reviewing a number of aspects of the plan and exercising its communication procedures.

IMO has long supported regional cooperation and capacity building in oil spill preparedness and response, including through a joint project with the oil and gas industry – the Global Initiative project for South East Asia (GI SEA). The workshop is being carried out under IMO’s Integrated Technical Cooperation Programme and hosted by the Government of Malaysia and the Marine Department of Malaysia, at the Maritime Transport Training Institute.

IMO is represented by Josephine Uranza, the Organization’s Regional Coordinator for the Asia and Pacific Sector. Expert support comes from Petronas, PIMMAG, ITOPF, OSRL and the GI SEA Project.

*ASEAN Member States: Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam and Singapore.