Providing an avenue for environmental and shipping organisations to enhance their preparedness and response to oil spill incidents is the aim of next week’s Asia Pacific oil spill preparedness and response conference Spillcon 2013.
Held every three years by Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) and Australian Institute of Petroleum (AIP), Spillcon 2013 will attract more than 500 delegates from Australian and overseas environmental and shipping organisations.
This year, Spillcon is being held at the Cairns Convention Centre from 8-12 April and will feature more than 20 speakers sharing their experiences and knowledge, as well as an impressive live display showcasing Australia’s capability to respond to an oil spill.
Spillcon 2013 speakers include representatives from the Australian Shipowner’s Association, National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority, and Australian and New Zealand maritime authorities.
Speakers will share their knowledge on topics such as Australia’s current maritime initiatives, response to the oil spill from the merchant vessel Rena on New Zealand’s Astrolabe Reef in 2011, progress on the implementation of recommendations from the Montara Wellhead Commission of Inquiry, emerging technologies to monitor oil spill effects, and the salvage of the Costa Concordia off the coast of Italy.
The conference will also feature exhibits from more than 30 companies and organisations involved in the environmental, shipping or oil spill response industry, and trainers from Maritime Safety Queensland, Sydney Ports and the Australian Marine Oil Spill Centre will also run sessions on the use of new oil spill response equipment throughout the week.
AMSA’S General Manager Marine Environment Toby Stone said the conference would provide networking opportunities for attendees to share knowledge now and in the future.
“This conference will see the exchanging of many ideas and learnings which will help organisations continually enhance their prevention, preparedness and response measures for oil spills,” Mr Stone said.
“We want organisations to be as prepared as they can be to prevent or respond to oil spills.
“The quicker relevant organisations can respond, the less impact it will have on the environment,” he said.
