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External Relations - Informal luncheons

Following on from the successful regional gatherings held at the IOPC Funds' offices in 2009 for London-based representatives of both Fund Member States and non-Member States, the Director held two further luncheons on 6 May and 15 July 2010 for representatives from the Caribbean region and for those from the region of Central and Western Europe and North America  respectively.

The luncheons have 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, they have given 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.

Having covered the entire membership of the IOPC Funds over six successful luncheons, the Director intends to continue to hold regional gatherings of this kind on a regular basis.

Regional Luncheon held at the IOPC Funds, 6 May 2010

2009 Annual Report
25 May 2010

The 2009 Annual Report is now available in English and French and Spanish.

In-house lecture for Students from the Erasmus School of Law

On 5 May 2010, students participating in a study trip from the Erasmus School of Law (Rotterdam) visited the Secretariat and attended an in-house lecture given by the Director, Mr Willem Oosterveen. The lecture included a presentation on the international regime and the role of the IOPC Funds, and the additional voluntary industry arrangements (STOPIA 2006 and TOPIA 2006).

The Director also gave a lecture on the HNS Convention 1996 and the 2010 HNS Protocol, which covered topics such as the development of the HNS Convention, the current status of the Convention, compensation limits, and the main changes in the HNS Protocol.

In-house lecture for Students from the the International Maritime Law Institute

The Director, Mr Willem Oosterveen, gave an in-house lecture on 4 May 2010 to students from the International Maritime Law Institute (IMLI). The Director presented an overview of the international regime and discussed the role of the IOPC Funds, and the additional voluntary industry arrangements (STOPIA 2006 and TOPIA 2006). Developments in the HNS Convention and Protocol were also presented, which included an overview of the HNS Convention and the main changes in the HNS Protocol.

In-house lecture for Students from the University of Barcelona

Students from the University of Barcelona visited the Secretariat on 14 April 2010 and attended an in-house lecture given by Mr José Maura, Head of Claims Department. The lecture included a presentation on the operation of the IOPC Funds, with discussions on the practical operations of the international compensation regime.

Students from the University of Barcelona attend a lecture by Mr José Maura at the IOPC Funds, 14 April 2010.

Visit to OSR by members of the IOPC Funds' Secretariat

On 17 March 2010, Members of the IOPC Funds' Secretariat attended a training day organised by Oil Spill Response (OSR), an international oil spill preparedness and response organisation, at their Southampton base. In the morning they were given lectures on Oil Spill Response and case history with a tour of the facilities. They then travelled to a deployment site and completed a hands-on river deployment exercise using OSR equipment. The Secretariat staff members found the training both informative and useful in understanding countermeasures against oil spill incidents.

Members of the IOPC Funds' Secretariat on a training day at Oil Spill Response, 17 March 2010.

Visit to the Kingdom of Morocco

The Director led an IOPC Funds delegation, including two of the Funds' Chairmen, to visit the Kingdom of Morocco from 15 to 18 February 2010. The purpose of the visit was to discuss possible arrangements for the 2011 spring meetings of the IOPC Funds' governing bodies which, it is proposed, will be hosted in the city of Marrakech.

Beginning the visit in Rabat, on the 16 February the delegation met with her Excellency Madame Amina Benkhadra, Minister in charge of Energy, Mines, Water and Environment and discussed several topics including the work of the Ministry.

The IOPC Funds delegation then travelled to Marrakech where they visited a number of possible meeting venues and were given a tour of the city.

The visit was both enjoyable and informative and the Funds' delegation very much appreciated the efforts of all concerned to ensure a successful visit.

External Relations - Informal luncheon

On Wednesday 16 December 2009 the Director held an informal regional luncheon for London-based representatives of Member States and non-Member States from the African region.

It provided an opportunity to establish personal contacts between the Secretariat and representatives of Member States and non-Member States alike.

Representatives were presented with detailed information packs on many subjects of interest, such as incidents and claims handling, the oil reporting and contributions system, the running of Fund meetings and the status of the HNS Convention. They also had the opportunity to discuss matters of specific interest with the appropriate members of the Secretariat.

The luncheon also provided the possibility for non-Member States to get 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.

Following the success of the four regional luncheons held in 2009, the IOPC Funds intends to continue to hold regional gatherings of this kind in the future.

Regional Luncheon held at the IOPC Funds, 16 December 2009.

Development of an electronic oil reporting system
10 July 2009

At the June 2009 meetings of the IOPC Funds a presentation on the development of an electronic system for the submission of reports on contributing oil was given by Dr Roy Livermore, Senior Information Officer, showing how the system will operate and setting out the advantages for Member States and contributors over the existing paper-based system.

Please click here to view the presentation.

External Relations - Regional Luncheon

The luncheon was 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.

The IOPC Funds has already held two successful regional gatherings of this kind so far this year, one in February and another in April, and intends to hold two more in the next five months, thus covering the entiremembership of the IOPC Funds.

Regional Luncheon held at the IOPC Funds, 9 July 2009.

2008 Annual Report
18 May 2009

The 2008 Annual Report is now available in English and French and Spanish.

Interspill 2009, Marseille
12-14 May 2009

The Director and a number of staff members of the Funds’ Secretariat participated in Interspill 2009, held from 12-14 May 2009 in Marseille, France.

Members of the Funds’ Secretariat conducted a workshop on 11 May, which was attended by participants froma variety of countries and was well-received. The workshop aimed at enhancing the understanding of the international regime for compensation for oil pollution damage from tankers. It consisted of lectures explaining the international legal framework as well as the roles of claimants, P&I Clubs and the IOPC Funds, followed by participants solving real life, practical compensation issues, based on past experience and present policies of the Funds.

At Interspill 2009 the Funds were represented with a stand which was visited by many participants of the Conference and Exhibition and where members of the Secretariat provided information and answered questions about the operations of the Funds and its activities worldwide. Documentation about the Funds in all three official languages was made available to interested participants. The Funds’ staff members also benefited from the opportunity to attend lectures and learn about the technical issues related to oil spillresponse and clean-up equipment available on the market today. The Head of the Claims Department also co-chaired a session of the Conference later in the week.

During the Conference, the Director gave a presentation on oil spill management and funding, entitled “The international regime on liability and compensation for oil pollution damage; overview and recent developments”. After providing a general overview of the international regime regarding compensation for oil pollution damage, he addressed the development of the international regime over the years, the voluntary industry arrangements of STOPIA 2006 and TOPIA 2006, as well as important recent developments in the Volgoneft 139 and Hebei Spirit incidents. Finally he described recent developments in the preparation of a Protocol to the 1996 HNS Convention, aiming at a rapid entry into force of a regime of liability and compensation for damage in connection with the carriage of cargoes of hazardous and noxious substancesby sea.