Current research and technical developments in oil spill preparedness and response were in the spotlight at a major seminar in Tianjin, China (20-21 September). The International Oil Spill Response Technical Seminar brought together over 150 representatives of national government, oil industry and oil spill response companies.
IMO’s Colleen O’Haghan presented on the Organization’s International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Co-operation (OPRC) – the treaty covering measures for dealing with pollution incidents, either nationally or in cooperation with other countries. The seminar was organized by Yantai MSA and CNOOC Energy Technology and Service Safety and Environmental Protection Co. under the GI China Project.
The GI China Project is an initative led by the China Maritime Safety Administration, supported by IMO and the oil industry body IPIECA, to enhance China’s capacity to prepare for and response to oil spills, through the promotion of government and industry collaboration. Prior to the Tianjin seminar, a meeting of the GI China Technical Consultative Group met to plan the project activities for 2018–2019, which will include a number of training courses, workshops and seminars to further the national spill response capability. IMO participated in the meeting to establish how IMO can continue to support these activities in the future.