Response to Marine Oil Spills Film Event in Korea

ITOPF is very pleased to have held the last, and largest, of its film screenings in Seoul with around 200 members of the Korean shipping community in attendance.

"The 'Response to Marine Oil Spills' film series includes footage from oil spills all around the world and since this is the first time that the lessons learnt from the HEBEI SPIRIT incident of 2007 have been made available to the wider international audience in a film, it was fitting to have such a special event in Korea" said Dr Tim Lunel, Support & Development Director at ITOPF.

"Capt SK Kim from KOMOS was instrumental in contributing to the film and helping us to identify case studies that helped to bring the HEBEI SPIRIT to life seven years after the spill" he went on to say. "We were also particularly pleased that the event was co-sponsored by KOMOS, KOEM, Korea Shipping Association, Korea P&I, and the Korea Shipowners' Association representing the support of the wider Korean shipping industry for the film series. I would particularly like to thank the hard work of Dr Dong Hyun Kim which ensured that the 200 participants included a complete cross-section of the Korean shipping community including key members of the Korean Coastguard with whom ITOPF has such an active working partnership".

The key note speakers following the welcome from Dr Tim Lunel included Mr Kim, Director at the Ministry of Ocean and Fisheries, Mr Lee, Chairman of Korea P&I, Mr José Maura, Director of the IOPC Funds and Capt SK Kim from KOMOS, to provide both national and international perspectives.

"It was particularly pleasing to have such an active discussion in the reception following the film screenings" said Dr Mark Whittington, Technical Team Manager at ITOPF who introduced the three films screened at the event. "It is clear that all the players responding to oil spills in Korean waters are in the process of implementing the lessons learned from the HEBEI SPIRIT. Co-operation and on-going dialogue is at the heart of successful oil spill response and it is clear that both these activities are being actively pursued in Korea".

Category: Training & Education