IMO says it has joined countries and stakeholders concerned with protecting the Caspian Sea from oil pollution at a regional meeting in Bandar-e Anzali, Islamic Republic of Iran (16-20 April). Participants are discussing the implementation of the Aktau Protocol on Regional Preparedness, Response and Cooperation in Combating Oil Pollution Incidents and, in particular, finalization of the Regional Caspian Sea Plan on cooperation in combating oil pollution in emergencies.
In addition to the meeting, IMO’s Colleen O’Hagan joined participants to observe a comprehensive response exercise combining elements of search and rescue, firefighting and pollution response – undertaken by the Ports and Maritime Organization of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
The meeting is taking place under the Tehran Convention and is chaired by Dr. Parvin Farshchi, Deputy for Marine Environment, at the Department of Environment of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Participants include delegations for the five littoral States of the Caspian (Azerbaijan, Islamic Republic of Iran, Kazakhstan, the Russian Federation, and Turkmenistan), representatives from the oil, gas and shipping industries operating in the Caspian, and the Tehran Interim Secretariat from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).