External Relations - Informal luncheon for Central
and Southern American States

On Thursday 12 February 2009 the Director held an informal luncheon for London-based representatives of both Fund Member States and non-Member States alike from the region of Central and South America. On Tuesday 28 April 2009 the Director held a similar luncheon for representatives of Eastern Asia and the Pacific region.

Both gatherings were very successful and provided an opportunity for members of the Secretariat to improve their relationships with Member States, for representatives to ask questions and for an informal exchange of views on many subjects of interest, such as the running of Fund meetings, the oil reporting and contributions system, incidents and claims handling and the status of the HNS Convention. For non-Member States in particular, it gave the Secretariat the opportunity to provide an insight into the work of the Funds and to discuss the potential benefits of joining the 1992 Fund and, if appropriate, the Supplementary Fund.

Given the success of these luncheons the Director is planning to organise similar gatherings in the future for other regions.

Luncheon for representatives of Eastern Asia and the Pacific region, held at the IOPC Funds, 28 April 2009.

Outstanding Oil Reports and Deferment of
Compensation Payments: New 1992 Fund Policy

At its October 2008 session, the 1992 Fund Assembly decided to adopt a new policy on the deferment of compensation payments in States which have outstanding oil reports, as set out in 92FUND/Circ.63. The policy will apply as of 28 April 2009 to all relevant claims in Member States with outstanding oil reports.

2007 Annual Report

The 2007 Reports in French and Spanish are now available and can be accessed by clicking on the following links: French and Spanish.

2007 Annual Report

The 2007 Annual Report is now available in English. The French and Spanish versions of the 2007 Report will be available shortly. The 2006 Reports in French and Spanish can be accessed by clicking on the following links: French and Spanish.

HNS Focus Group

For information about the work of the HNS Focus Group that was set up by the 1992 Fund Assembly at its October 2007 meeting, please see the HNS Convention website.

Publications

The 2006 Annual Report is now available in English. The 2006 Reports in French and Spanish can be accessed by clicking on the following links: French and Spanish.

Solar 1 Incident

Following an underwater inspection of the wreck, the shipowner's insurer has appointed a company to remove the oil which remained on board the vessel. The removal operations will start in the New Year, probably in early February. The shipowner's insurer has also paid a number of claims by cleanup contractors and some tourist claims.

A large number of claims have been received from the fisheries industry based in Guimaras. The 1992 Fund is in the process of paying compensation totalling approximately US$2.6 million to some 11 000 fisherfolk. A substantial number of these fisherfolk should be paid before Christmas, with the remainder being paid early in the New Year.

Måns Jacobsson Hands Over To Next Director Willem Oosterveen

Mr Måns Jacobsson of Sweden is standing down as Director of the International Oil Pollution Compensation Funds (IOPC Funds) on 31 October 2006, with his successor, Mr Willem J G Oosterveen of the Netherlands, taking up office on 1 November 2006 .

Further information is available in the press release issued by the IOPC Funds.

Solar 1 Incident

On 11 August 2006 the Philippines registered tanker Solar 1, laden with about 2 000 tonnes of intermediate fuel oil, sank off the coast of Guimaras (Philippines) spilling an unknown but substantial quantity of its cargo. The wreck is lying in some 600-900 meters of water. Technical experts from International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation Ltd (ITOPF) and a fisheries expert have been jointly appointed by the shipowner’s insurer and the 1992 Fund to attend at the site and provide technical expertise to deal with the incident and assess damage to fisheries.

Offshore clean-up operations are being carried out under the supervision of the Philippine Coastguard utilising local vessels and oil spill response equipment. The oil from the Solar 1 has impacted the coastline of Guimaras where shoreline clean-up is being conducted with the assistance of local labour. As regards the wreck, the shipowner’s insurer has appointed a salvage company to conduct an underwater inspection of the wreck using a remotely operated vehicle and to determine if there is any significant quantity of oil remaining on board.

Claims have been received from local vessel operators who are responding in the offshore clean up operations. The shipowner’s insurer is dealing with these claims with the assistance of ITOPF and his local correspondent. Claims are expected from the fisheries and aquaculture industry based in Guimaras.

Co-operation with P&I Clubs

The MOU was signed on 19 April 2006 by Måns Jacobsson (right), Director of the IOPC Funds and by Alistair Groom (left), Chairman of the International Group of P&I Clubs

The IOPC Funds have over the years co-operated closely with the shipowners’ insurers, normally one of the Protection and Indemnity Associations (P&I Clubs), in claim settlement procedures. The monitoring of the response to an incident and the assessment of the damage caused are normally carried out jointly by the P&I Club and the Fund involved in the incident.

Co-operation between the 1971 Fund and Clubs belonging to the International Group of P&I Clubs (International Group) has been governed by a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) which was signed in November 1980 and subsequently extended in 1996 to also cover the 1992 Fund.

As a result of the entry into force of the Supplementary Fund Protocol in March 2005, the Assemblies of the 1992 Fund and the Supplementary Fund approved in February 2006 a revised MOU to also cover the Supplementary Fund and to include the undertakings by the Clubs in respect of the new voluntary arrangements of STOPIA and TOPIA.

Publications

The new edition of the IOPC Funds' Brochure is now available in English.

Publications

The 2005 Annual Report is now available in English. The French and Spanish versions of the 2005 Report will be available shortly. The 2004 Reports in French and Spanish can be accessed by clicking on the following links: French and Spanish.

REMINDER

Interspill 2006 Conference:
Changing energy patterns, changing spill risks
21-23 March 2006, London, UK

Kwang Min No.7 Incident

The Kwang Min No.7, a Korean coastal tanker of 161 GT, collided with the fishing boat Chil Yang No1 on 24 November 2005. An estimated 80 tonnes of heavy fuel oil spilled from the ship.

The Korean Marine Police promptly mobilised pollution response vessels. Most of the clean-up operations were completed by 27 November 2005.

Much of the spilt oil appears to have stranded on the shorelines west and south of Yengdo. Most of the shoreline is rocky, thus making clean-up more difficult. The affected area contains fishing grounds, an amenity beach and a wharf which were all affected.

The shipowner did not have any insurance for pollution liabilities. It is therefore likely that the 1992 Fund will be required to pay compensation for all the pollution damage arising from the incident.

Former 1971 Fund Member States with Outstanding Oil Reports

At its October 2005 session, the 1971 Fund Administrative Council decided that the former 1971 Fund Member States with outstanding oil reports should be listed on the IOPC Funds’ website. The list, as at 1 December 2005, is set out below:

The Secretariat of the IOPC Funds has established a website dedicated to the implementation of the HNS Convention: www.hnsconvention.org.

HNS Convention Contributing Cargo Calculator
HNS CCCC Website