ITOPF Participates in KEMI 2015 Oil-In-Ice exercise as part of the Copenhagen agreement.

ITOPF was pleased to be invited to give a key note speech on the first day of Kemi 2015 and then participate in the oil-in-ice recovery exercise on the second day. The exercise is an important practical aspect of the Copenhagen Agreement between Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Sweden and Norway. In ITOPF's experience, International cooperation can make a very significant difference in minimising the potential impacts of a spill, and in ice-covered waters this is likely to be particularly important.

Collaboration has been a key theme running through the conference and exercise. One particular aspect of collaboration we put forward to participants was to contribute their thoughts and film clips to the new oil-in-ice film we are in the process of putting together for release in spring 2016. The messages contained in the film will be relevant across the oil spill response community and several of the conference participants provided comments on interesting areas for future collaboration on the film.

Photo foreground Finnish oil-recovery vessel ORV LOUHI, background Swedish Ice-Breaker FREJ