Exchange programme boosts oil spill response skills in Southeast Asia

An exchange programme for oil spill response officers in Southeast Asia has helped strengthen the skills needed to respond effectively to oil spills. The event, held in Shanghai, China (28 November -1 December) focused on how countries could effectively discharge their spill response responsibilities as port and coastal States, including by understanding different practices and concerns in the region.
Participants from China and eight Member States of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) - Cambodia, Indonesia, the Lao People's Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand and Viet Nam took part.
The event was organized by IMO and the Government of China under a Memorandum of Understanding on technical cooperation, with cooperation from the Shanghai Maritime University and International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation (ITOPF).