Sea Alarm was busy over the Christmas period in the response to an oil spill incident in Nigeria. The incident occurred on December 21st at an FPSO (Floating Production, Storage and Off-loading) Unit operated by an OSRL member in the Bonga oil field, 120 kilometres off the Nigerian coast.
Oiled wildlife response had a high profile at the 2011 International Oil Spill Conference (IOSC) in Portland, as for the first time in the event’s history it had a dedicated wildlife session, chaired by Hugo Nijkamp. Sea Alarm also exhibited at the event.
Sea Alarm had several opportunities in 2011 to meet face to face with oil industry members of Oil Spill Response () at its shareholder meetings in June and December. Sea Alarm had a small exhibition stand at both of OSRL”s Shareholder meetings, which took place in San Francisco in June and in Southampton in December.
Sea Alarm has seen a growing recognition in 2011 by the oil industry of the need to take oiled wildlife response seriously and to devote it the same attention as traditional oil spill response.
Sea Alarm is pleased to announce that its agreement with Oil Spill Response has recently been renewed for a further 5 years. The original agreement created in 2005 gave Sea Alarm the means to set up and carry out a programme for developing European and global preparedness for oiled wildlife incidents together with governmental, oil industry, NGO and other stakeholders. The renewed agreement shows the oil industry’s ongoing commitment to playing its part in this process.
Sea Alarm has taken further strong steps forward in the development of a set of instruments that can be used for an international mobilisation of oiled wildlife response experts in case of an incident. Sea Alarm’s 24/7 notification and information centre is permanently available for Oil Spill Response Members, which include the globally operating oil companies, but also for any other party in need of advice or expertise.
Sea Alarm has developed training modules for oil spill response experts, which have been integrated into the training courses that OSRL/EARL offers to oil companies.
The oiled wildlife response equipment that is stockpiled at the Oil Spill Response‘s warehouse in Southampton (UK) was recently inspected by leading European responders, including Sea Alarm.
Leading environmental groups and rehabilitation centres in Portugal have joined forces to be better prepared for an oil spill incident. Cooperation between these organisations was first explored at a meeting that was held immediately following the RIOS workshop in April. Since then, two further meetings, in June and October, have taken place. Sea Alarm moderated all three meetings.
Sea Alarm gave a presentation to OTSOPA Contracting Parties on its work in Europe and its cooperation with OSRL/EARL. OTSOPA is the technical working group under the Bonn Agreement, the regional cooperation on oil spill prevention, response and mutual assistance for the North Sea and the North East Atlantic.