OSPRI activities are complementary to the oil spill contingency planning work undertaken at the company and national levels by its members. The following table shows the areas where specific OSPRI driven activities have taken place:
Action |
Comments |
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Alignment of members |
Monthly teleconferences enable information exchange and alignment of approaches to issues arising. These are incorporated into the OSPRI business plan. |
Convention ratification |
Whilst not necessarily directly related to OSPRI influence, Azerbaijan has ratified OPRC 90 and CLC 92, Turkey has ratified OPRC 90 and Bulgaria has ratified CLC 92 since OSPRI's formation.
This raises ratification of the key relevant international conventions in the region from 37% to 50%. |
Support to Black Sea regional planning. |
OSPRI is recognized as a key and trusted partner for the Black Sea Commission in the implementation of the regional plan. This includes helping to drive the creation of a workable regional exercise programme.
OSPRI has develop relations with BSEC and is taking a role to help build synergy between BSEC and BSC, rather than competition.
OSPRI also supported the establishment of a group of legal experts to develop ideas on the implementation of the existing legal framework within the region.
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Support to CEP- IMO Caspian regional planning. |
IPIECA/ OSPRI has supported four regional workshops to draft a regional plan. This has been completed, along with the drafting of an Emergency (oil spill) Protocol to the Caspian Framework Convention. The Convention was signed by all five littoral States in Dec 03.
OSPRI helped organize and fund a Caspian regional workshop in April 2005 in conjunction with the Caspian Environment Programme and IMO. This gave OSPRI to opportunity to raise familiarity with the draft Regional Plan. Further progress was also made towards finalizing the Emergency Protocol, now anticipated in 3Q 2005.
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Support to Azerbaijan national planning project |
EBRD has funded consultants to produce a marine national oil spill plan for Azerbaijan. OSPRI has worked to encourage an inclusive approach to project, with a view to proper ownership of the plan by the government. |
Support to Russian capacity building |
OSPRI worked closely with the Russian PAF to deliver oil spill prevention and response workshops in Moscow (Dec 03) and Trondheim (June 04) under the US-Russia Energy Dialogue. PAF and OSPRI wait for settling of department structures and interfaces, after wholesale re-organization of government (April 04) before re-engaging with this effort.
The Russian Ministry of Transportation has approached OSPRI with a view to assistance and support to a bi-lateral exercise planned with Turkey in spring 2006.
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Support to Turkish capacity building |
OSPRI maintains close informal links with the relevant Turkish government representatives and has been recognized as a credible source of advice and guidance as Turkey moves forward with legislative reforms. |
Support to Kazakhstan capacity building |
OSPRI has contributed to engagement with KazMunaiGaz on improving oil spill preparedness. A Kazakhstan sub-group has been formed to address national cooperation and mutual aid issues. |
Education and awareness |
Specific presentations or references to OSPRI have been made at the following events:
- MEDOSC (Sept 03)
- CEP- IMO Caspian regional oil spill planning workshop (Oct 03)
- Interspill (June 04)
- International Law of the Sea Conference (June 04)
- Spillcon (Sept 04)
- Mare Forum (Oct 04)
- IMO -led training courses under the Global Initiative (Astrakhan and Novorossiysk )
- Caspian & Black Sea Ecology conference (Nov 04)
- Black Sea Legal Experts workshop (April 05)
- Caspian regional workshop (May 05)
- IOSC (May 05)
- BSEC Environment WG (June 05)
- BSC AG ESAS (June 05)
OSPRI has assisted with the translation of IPIECA's oil spill report series into Russian language – now freely available on the Internet.
Close links are maintained with Oil Spill Response Limited to ensure consistency with oil companies' tier 3 oil spill service provision.
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Demonstrate credible and integrated capabilities |
OSPRI members undertake their own training and exercising programmes to build capacity and ensure oil spill contingency arrangements are effective. Larger scale drills in Azerbaijan , Kazakhstan and Russia have involved observers from other operators (i.e. the OSPRI network) and government representatives.
Members are actively discussing ways to improve ‘tier 2' cooperation in the region, using OSPRI as the touch point and forum.
OSPRI is building recognition for its efforts with international organizations and national administrations. This is allowing members companies to derive credibility by reference the existence and work of OSPRI in promotional literature.
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Environmental sensitivity mapping |
OSPRI provided information and guidance to UNEP- WCMC in their undertaking to produce a Caspian IMAPS with funding from CEP.
OSPRI has also been the link to highlight similarities between the Black Sea IMAPS and mapping work undertaken by BSERP in the Black Sea, ensuring consistency between these projects.
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Wider industry networking |
OSPRI maintains links to the other regional activities to ensure industry consistency at the global level, particularly in the Global Initiative relationship with IMO. OSPRI representatives have attended meetings of the Mediterranean Oil Industry Group (MOIG) and vice versa, to share ideas and align approaches to Turkish issues. OSPRI shared experiences with the GI network in February 2005. |
