PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE TO HAZARDOUS AND NOXIOUS SUBSTANCE SPILLS

With the rise of transport by sea of chemicals and gases (both in bulk and containerized), proper preparedness for response to potential spill incidents involving hazardous and noxious substances (HNS) is increasingly important.

In this perspective, the Regional Marine Pollution Emergency Response Centre for the Mediterranean Sea (REMPEC), a Regional Activity Centre of UNEP/MAP, administrated by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), joined forces with the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) to organize a National training course on the response to HNS in the marine environment (Manager Level), in Tekirdağ, Turkey from 3 to 5 December 2019.

The workshop brought together over 50 response managers from the public and private sectors to examine considerations and challenges in responding to HNS incidents occurring in national waters.

The workshop was based on the OPRC-HNS Model Training Courses which has been developed to assist IMO Member States in their efforts to build national capacity in preparing for and responding to HNS incidents, in line with the OPRC-HNS Protocol.
The OPRC-HNS Protocol aims to establish national systems for preparedness and response and to provide a global framework for international co-operation in combating major incidents or threats of marine pollution.
The training was hosted by the Government of Turkey and was held on the premises of the recently inaugurated National Maritime Safety and Emergency Response Centre (UDEM), and co-funded by the IMO's Integrated Technical Cooperation Programme, REMPEC's Mediterranean Trust Fund (MTF) as well as from the European Commission's Directorate-General for Neighborhood and Enlargement Negotiations.