The Third R&D Forum - High-density Oil Spill Response
11-13 March 2002

Organized by the International Maritime Organization, in co-operation with Brest, France

The Forum, which will examine research and development of new technology in oil spill response, particularly regarding spills of high density or heavy oils like bunker oil, is being organized by IMO in co-operation with French authorities. The Forum is co-sponsored by Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, United States, the European Commission, IPIECA and ITOPF.

A number of accidents  - including the Nakhodka in 1997 or the Erika in 1999 and, more recently, the Baltic Carrier  - have highlighted the need for the international maritime community to look in depth at how coastal States can respond effectively to high-density oil spills.

The Forum will therefore focus on practical issues relating to pollution by high-density oils, including the following main topics:

• Detection and drift modelling
• Behaviour and weathering in the water
• Containment and recovery of floating oil
• Recovery of sunken oil

For more information on the Forum please refer to the programme.

Registration forms can also be downloaded from the website for the Forum and related events. The deadline for registration is 31 January 2002.

For further information, please contact

Mr T. Liebert
IMO
International Maritime Organization
4 Albert Embankment
London
SE1 7SR
United Kingdom

Tel +44 (0)20 7735 7611
Fax +44 (0)20 7587 3210

Email: tliebert@imo.org

 Previous R&D Fora

The first and second International Research and Development Fora on oil spill response issues were held in McLean (USA, 1992) and London (1995), in accordance with article 8 of the International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Co-operation (OPRC), 1990, which calls on governments and IMO to play an active role in the promotion of R&D relating to the enhancement of the state-of-the-art of pollution preparedness and response through the exchange of information.

“Towards safer and cleaner seas” 11-16 March 2002, Brest, France

The Third IMO R&D Forum will take place alongside a week-long series of international events dedicated to maritime safety and the protection of the marine environment, organized by the Brest Urban Community, in co-operation with IMO, European Commission, and the following organizations: CEDRE (French Centre for Research into Accidental Pollution of the Seas/Centre de Documentation, de Recherche et d’Expérimentations sur les pollutions accidentelles des eaux), SYCOPOL (French Oil Spill Control Association), BOSCA (British Oil Spill Control Association), and NOSCA (Norwegian Oil Spill Control Association).

Planned events in the programme “Towards safer and cleaner seas” include:

• Maritime safety: History and evolution (Seminar)
• Interspill 2002 (Exhibition)
• Erika & other Spills  - Technical Lessons (Scientific Conference)

For further information on these events, please visit www.ifremer.fr/cedre