ITOPF attends conference in South Korea

ITOPF was invited to participate in the 2017 International Maritime Disaster Response Conference organised by the Korea Coast Guard (KCG) to mark the 10th anniversary of the HEBEI SPIRIT incident.

The conference, held in Pusan from 6th-7th December, attracted around 250 delegates and included presentations from domestic and international experts on major oil and HNS incidents, the latest technologies and policies, and future prospects for capacity building. Richard Johnson's presentation "Are you ready for the next one? Planning and preparedness: How much is enough?" provided an overview of recent trends in spill preparedness and response from an international perspective. Exploring lessons learned from a variety of cases, he highlighted the need to ensure that an appropriate level of preparedness - proportionate to the associated risk - remains a top priority.

The successful two-day event included a technical tour of the KOEM training centre and a demonstration from the KCG strike team. It was also an excellent opportunity for ITOPF to strengthen its relations with the KCG. Richard met up with both the current and future heads of the marine pollution department, and also the On-scene Commander during the HEBEI SPIRIT spill.

Categories: Asia, Training & Education