PAJ OIL SPILL SYMPOSIUM 2016
Tokyo, Japan
28th January 2016
Video address: Dr Stefan Micallef
Director, Marine Environment Division, International Maritime Organization‘20th Anniversary of the Implementation of the OPRC Convention’I am honoured to be able to address you, at least virtually this morning, and for this I would
like to extend my gratitude to our host Mr Yoshimura, Managing Director of the Petroleum
Association of Japan. Primarily for his kind invitation to IMO to participate in thisSymposium, but for also making it possible for me to say a few words to you in this manner.
Although I am unable to be with you in person it was important for me to have thisopportunity to say a few words and contribute in a small way to this important event
recognising the 20th anniversary of the implementation of the OPRC Convention. Principally
because gathered together amongst you are some of the most ardent supporters andpractitioners of the implementation of this important convention. Both you, and thegovernment administrations and organizations you represent have contributed so much toits successes over the past two decades, I am therefore extremely thankful for theopportunity to both express my appreciation for your continued support as well as
acknowledge how much we have achieved together in our goal of enhancing preparedness,
response and cooperation for maritime pollution incidents globally.

Major incidents have been the starting point for so many of the conventions and regulations
adopted through IMO, with the TORREY CANYON, almost 50 years ago, being the driver for
many, including the wide-ranging International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution
from Ships, more commonly known as MARPOL, the Intervention Convention and theInternational Civil Liability and Compensation regimes. However, focus on the roles,responsibilities and cooperation needs in preparing for and responding to incidents of major
pollution, did not get its due consideration until the EXXON VALDEZ incident in Alaska in
1989. Once again maritime states were reminded of the serious threat posed to the marine
environment by oil pollution incidents and of the importance of prompt and effective actionin order to minimize the damage which may result. And once again, the IMO Member Statescame together, and adopted the International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness,
Response and Co-operation (OPRC) by a diplomatic conference on 30th November 1990,
which entered into force five years later.

The convention was developed to emphasise the importance of effective preparation andthe key role which the oil and shipping industries have in this regard and to recognise theimportance of mutual assistance and international co-operation. Matters including theexchange of information, the preparation of oil pollution contingency plans, the exchange ofreports of incidents which may affect the marine environment or the coastline ofneighbouring States, and research and development, provided a pragmatic foundation forthis new instrument. The very practical nature of this convention in setting out therequirements for preparedness and cooperation to facilitate a good response isacknowledged by many and is demonstrated by its widespread ratification.

In the 25 years since its adoption, the IMO Secretariat and a number of partnerorganizations, have organised well over 100 workshops, training courses and seminars, notto mention, the thousands undertaken independently by 108 member states, now parties tothe Convention and other organisations. Over 25 guidance documents and manuals dealing
with all areas of response and preparedness have been approved and published by IMO, 15
regional agreements and initiatives working toward facilitating cooperation andcoordination

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supported/established. And 3 model courses developed, one focussing on dealing with oil
spill incidents, another on training people to teach this topic to others, in addition to a
training course on response to incidents involving hazardous and noxious substances. Again,not to mention the huge advancements made by individual member states to implement
this convention to its fullest extent.
For a prime example of effective and responsible implementation of this Convention, weneed look no further than Japan. Both industry and government, mindful of the risks posedby the high volume of maritime trade they engage in, have addressed their responsibility
both national, regionally and beyond, through their contingency planning work in country
and their participation in the NOWPAP – Northwest Pacific Action Plan in relation its work inmarine environmental emergency preparedness and response. I should also mention theJapanese Coastguard, whose Strike teams have provided their expertise and resources attimes of need in country and the wider region, and last but not least the ‘Major Oil Spill
Response Programme’ implemented by PAJ for over 25 years now. Its stockpile and lending
arrangements of oil spill response equipment, its research and development activities andsharing of information and expertise through its regular workshops and symposia have been
hailed as landmarks of successful implementation of the OPRC Convention. This is by nomeans an exhaustive summary of the work undertaken in country in relation to theimplementation of OPRC, but it nonetheless draws an impressive picture of thecommitment and importance with which the challenge of enhancing spill preparedness,response and cooperation is undertaken.

I would also like to highlight the contribution of the oil industry associations such as IPIECA
and ARPEL, amongst others. Their members have invested much precious time and effort insupporting research and development into various aspects of spill preparedness andresponse, developing best practices, and useful tools and guidance which they openly share,
and which I think you learned more about earlier during the key note speech, summarising
the work of the recent oil spill response joint industry project. They also play an importantrole in capacity building, most notably through our joint global initiative programme aimed
at enhancing spill preparedness and response in developing countries. A programme alsostrongly supported by ITOPF, who have continually supported IMO in many of its capacity
building initiatives and workshops and who openly and generously share their vast expertiseand experience in this field. The global response network and response organisations
including AMOSC and specifically OSRL have also made substantial contributions boththrough their industry associations and individually in the development of guidance,operational tools and training. The response equipment manufacturers, environmental
consultancies and individuals have also played and continue to play a crucial role in ourcollective efforts.

IMO is very fortunate to be amongst such strong and committed company in its work to
support the implementation of OPRC globally, but despite all these notable achievements,
there is still much to do, and many challenges to face. There are countries in the world
without spill contingency plans, without equipment, expertise or resources to effectively
respond to an incident threatening or polluting their shores. At the same time, amongst
most government administrations and throughout many parts of the oil and shipping
industries, resources and budgets are being squeezed, and there are ever increasing
demands to do more with less. Thankfully the high profile, large scale incidents so prevalent
in the 70’s and 80’s have significantly decreased in number, but this also creates a challenge
to keep spill preparedness and response high on the agenda of both industry andgovernment, and to maintain readiness and capacity to respond when the time comes, andwhen focus and priorities may be forced elsewhere. The answer may mean a greater focus
on cooperation and collaboration, sharing expertise and experience and pooling resources;
the main theme of this symposium ‘Maintaining future effective preparedness against oil
spills’ could not be more timely. Whatever the answer, or the outcome of your deliberations,
it is nevertheless incumbent on all of us, government, industries, users and beneficiaries ofmaritime transport to maintain is enviable record of being the most energy-efficient andenvironmentally-friendly means of transport and to continually strive to improve thisreputation, through universal implementation of IMO conventions including OPRC, so thatwhen things do go wrong we are best placed to react effectively.

I would also like to take this opportunity to highlight the importance of the Protocol on
Preparedness, Response and Cooperation to Pollution Incidents by Hazardous and Noxious
Substances, which in exactly the same way as the Convention, addresses the roles,
responsibilities and cooperation needs in relation to spills of hazardous substances otherthan oil. There is much work to do to assist the implementation of this protocol which inmany ways, given the vast and diverse nature of the substances covered by it, can appear
quite a daunting prospect for many government administrations. Again, there is an
important role that the industries and organisations represented here today can play, withyour in-house expertise in the health and safety aspects of producing, handling ortransporting all manner of substances other than oil, including petrochemicals and gas. In
addition to your research into its fate and behaviour under different environmentalconditions, and effective monitoring instruments, not to mention your association andrelationships with the broader chemical industry. I hope that we might emulate oursuccessful collaboration under the OPRC Convention, to support our future work on thisimportant Protocol.

On that note, and with great regret that I could not be with you in person, I will sign off.
May I once again thank the Petroleum Association of Japan, and Mr Yoshimura, for hosting
this valuable forum of information exchange, and I wholeheartedly wish you the very bestfor the remainder of the Symposium and an enjoyable stay in Tokyo.