Ref: Strategic Plan 16-17/ Programme No: TC/1762, Activity 03 Activity Report 2 February 2018 IMO Sub-Regional International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Co-operation (OPRC) Convention Workshop: Oil Spill Response Equipment, Simulation Exercises and Co-ordination with Neighbouring Countries Held in Cartagena, Colombia October 2-5, 2017 SUMMARY SHEET Title of workshop: Host: Sub-Regional Oil Pollution Response Convention (OPRC) Workshop on: Oil Spill Response Equipment, Simulation Exercises and Co-ordination with Neighboring Countries The Colombian Government, Colombian Maritime Authority (DIMAR) Summary: This regional workshop was organized in accordance with RAC/REMPEITC-Caribe s proposal to IMO s Technical Co-operation Committee for the Center s activities of the 2016-2017 biennium and was attended by thirty nine government maritime representatives from The Bahamas, Barbados, Colombia, Cuba, Curacao, Guyana, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago. In following Article 6 of OPRC, the workshop aimed at building capacity for Parties in: establishing, either individually or through bilateral or multilateral cooperation, and in cooperation with the oil and shipping industries, port authorities and other relevant entities: minimum levels of pre-positioned oil spill combating equipment; programs of exercises and training; detailed plans and communication capabilities for responding; and mechanisms or arrangements to coordinate a response and the capabilities to mobilize the necessary resources. The overall output of the workshop: 1) provided support information on the assessment, identification and acquisition of oil spill response equipment for consideration by participant countries when determining what, if any, spill response capability should be acquired; 2) provided information to assist Wider Caribbean Region countries in developing and implementing national and regional exercise programs; 3) generated national and regional information and lessons learned that can be incorporated into future revisions of the Wider Caribbean Island OPRC Plan and Central; and 4) emphasized the importance of regional coordination and communication for oil spill preparedness and response. 1
Venue and date: October 2-5, 2017 Type: Organized by: Supported by: No. of participants: Programme Number: Participating countries: Point of contact: Sub-Regional RAC/REMPEITC-Caribe The Colombian Government, Colombian Maritime Authority (DIMAR) and The Colombia Navy, with technical assistance provided from: Oil Spill Response Limited (OSRL); Exxon Mobil Biomedical Sciences, Inc; T&T Salvage; LAMOR Corporation AB; and VARICHEM de Colombia G.E.P.S. Thirty nine government maritime representatives; and eleven technical experts TC/1762-03-2000 The Bahamas, Barbados, Colombia, Cuba, Curacao, Guyana, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago Keith M. Donohue U. S. Coast Guard Seconded as a Consultant to IMO RAC/REMPEITC-Caribe Seru Mahuma z/n Aviation and Meteorology Building Willemstad, Curacao Phone: (00599-9) 868-4612 / 839-3719 Fax: (00599-9)868-4996 Email: kdonohue@cep.unep.org 2
Table of Contents 1. Background... 4 2. Workshop Objective and Outcome... 6 3. Program... 7 4. Logistics... 18 5. Support... 20 6. Findings... 21 7. Recommendations... 22 Annex 1 Participants... 25 Annex 2 Photo of Workshop Participants, Instructors and Organizers... 32 Annex 3 Agenda... 34 Annex 4a Opening Remarks from Captain Pedro Javier Prada Rueda... 36 Annex 4b Opening Remarks from RAC/REMPEITC s Keith Donohue... 38 Annex 5 Results of the Panel Discussion on Spill Response Equipment... 40 Annex 6 Course Certificate... 43 Annex 7 Workshop Evaluation... 44 Annex 8 National Oil Spill Preparedness and Response Information and Country Presentations... 51 3
1. Background 1.1 The International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Co-operation (OPRC) 1990 facilitates international co-operation and mutual assistance in preparing for and responding to major oil pollution incidents. With the coordination and facilitation of RAC/REMPEITC- Caribe, the island States and Territories of the WCR developed the regional Caribbean Island OPRC Plan as prescribed under Article 8 of the Cartagena Convention, Protocol Concerning Co-operation in Combating Oil Spills in the Wider Caribbean Region (Oil Spills Protocol 1983). This Plan provides a framework under which Island States and Territories may cooperate at the operational level in responding to oil spill incidents. The overall objective of the Plan is to provide a cooperative framework for mutual assistance from Member States, Territories, and organizations in the event of a major oil spill incident which exceeds the response capability of a national governments or the oil industry. Following the 2002 signing of the Convention for the Protection and Preservation of the Marine Environment in the City of Antigua, Republic of Guatemala (Antigua Convention) by representatives of Colombia, El Salvador Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua and Panama, The Regional Plan for Preparation, Response and Cooperation Against Oil Spills, Harmful and Potentially Hazardous Substances for Central America (Central American Plan) was developed. As encouraged by OPRC 1990, the Oil Spills Protocol under the Cartagena Convention, and the Caribbean Island OPRC Plan 2008, the Wider Caribbean Region Multilateral Technical Operating Procedures (MTOP) for Offshore Oil Pollution Response was also developed through coordination between The Bahamas, Cuba, Jamaica, Mexico and the United States. The MTOP document provides multilateral guidance on response procedures and each participating country's key organizational contacts, and it is intended to further instruments aimed at improving response efficiency during an oil spill event. 1.2 Article 6 of the OPRC Convention (National and Regional Systems for Preparedness and Response) requires each Party to establish, either individually or through bilateral or multilateral cooperation, and in co-operation with the oil and shipping industries, port authorities and other relevant entities: 1.2.1 a minimum level of pre-positioned oil spill combating equipment; 1.2.2 a program of exercises and training of relevant personnel; 1.2.3 detailed plans and communication capabilities for responding; and 4
1.2.4 a mechanism or arrangement to co-ordinate the response and capabilities to mobilize the necessary resources. 1.3 One of the initial objectives of establishing RAC/REMPEITC-Caribe was to develop and maintain a communications/information system appropriate to the needs of the WCR, including channeling of emergency response communications. RAC/REMPEITC-Caribe also handles the ongoing administration of both the Caribbean Island OPRC Plan and the MTOP documents, and regularly provides Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Co-operation Workshops in countries throughout the WCR. Additionally, within the Cartagena Convention, Oil Spill Protocol, RAC/REMPEITC-Caribe is the established Regional Coordination Unit (RAC/REMPEITC-Caribe) identified to assist Contracting Parties in carrying out, in close coordination with the IMO, functions such as: 1.3.1 The preparation, periodic review and updating of contingency plans to promote compatibility of the plans of the Contracting Parties;] 1.3.2 Maintaining a current inventory of emergency response equipment,, materials and expertise available in the WCR; 1.3.3 Identifying or maintaining means for emergency response communications; 1.3.4 The exchange of information related to the Protocol including information on laws, regulations, institutions, and operational procedures relating to oil spill incidents and means of reducing and combating the harmful effects of oil spills; an 1.3.5 Providing, on a regional basis, forums for discussing activities related to regional emergency response activities. 1.4 RAC/REMPEITC-Caribe adapts the programs developed by IMO to the specific requests and recommendations made by participant WCR government representatives during previous workshops and assessments. The need for this workshop was presented and supported by the RAC/REMPEITC- Caribe 8th Ordinary Steering Committee, on 19-20 May 2016 and support by IMO s Technical Cooperation Divison with the following concerns: 1.4.1 To date, there have been very few oil spill exercises in the WCR that have actually exercised regional or sub-regional coordination, either as Contracting Parties under the broad Cartagena Convention, or through any of the existing Sub-regional 5
Arrangements within the WCR (The Central American OPRC Plan or The Wider Caribbean Island OPRC Plan). Response preparedness cannot be properly enhanced, and gaps cannot be properly identified, if these plans are not exercised. 1.4.2 Additionally, response preparedness for offshore oil drilling operations has been largely absent from Wider Caribbean and sub-regional planning and coordination, yet such operations could present the most likely potential spill scenarios where regional or sub-regional coordination between countries could be necessary. To some extent, the Central American OPRC Plan and MTOP speak to offshore oil operations, however, the Regional Caribbean Island Oil Pollution Response and Cooperation Plan, for which 23 U.N. Member and Non-member Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are located within, does not. Seven of the countries that participated in this workshop (The Bahamas, Barbados, Cuba, Guyana, Jamaica, Suriname, and Trinidad & Tobago) are considered U.N. Member SIDS. 2. Workshop Objective and Outcome 2.1 The workshop included senior maritime representatives from The Bahamas, Barbados, Colombia, Cuba, Curacao, Guyana, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago. Each of these 12 countries have ongoing offshore oil and gas exploration activities in the Wider Caribbean Region (WCR), have made new offshore oil and gas reserve discoveries in recent years and/or have other offshore oil interests in the Caribbean. 2.2 The workshop aimed to build capacity in the WCR for: establishing, either individually or through bilateral or multilateral cooperation, and in co-operation with the oil and shipping industries, port authorities and other relevant entities: minimum levels of pre-positioned oil spill combating equipment; programs of exercises and training; detailed plans and communication capabilities for responding; and mechanisms or arrangements to co-ordinate a response and the capabilities to mobilize the necessary resources. 2.3 Overall the output of the workshop: 6
2.3.1 Provided support information on the assessment, identification and acquisition of oil spill response equipment for consideration by participant countries when determining what, if any, spill response capability should be acquired; 2.3.2 Provided information to assist Wider Caribbean Region countries in developing and implementing national and regional exercise programs; 2.3.3 Provided national and regional information and lessons learned that can be incorporated into future revisions of the Wider Caribbean Island OPRC Plan and Central; and 2.3.4 Emphasized the importance of regional coordination and communication for oil spill preparedness and response. 3. Program 3.1 To commence the beginning of the workshop on Day One, Captain Pedro Javier Prada, Captain of the Port for Cartagena, and Keith Donohue of RAC/REMPEITC-Caribe, provided opening remarks to the participants. The opening remarks and initial workshop proceedings were capture by Colombia media representatives coordinated by DIMA. Photos by DIMAR Figure 1: Day 1 Opening remarks by Captain Pedro Javier Prada and Keith Donohue 7
3.2 The first session on Day One of the workshop was titled: National and Regional-level Risk Assessment and Preparedness. This session began with an introduction to spill response management and an overview of regional, multilateral and national-level oil spill contingency planning by Mr. Keith Donohue of RAC/REMPEITC-Cairbe. Ms. Maartje Folbert then provided an overview of vessel traffic patterns and trends in the WCR via video teleconference from her office at RAC/REMPEITC-Caribe in Curacao. As there are many submerged vessels throughout the Caribbean that pose potential pollution risks, Mr. Cesar Corcuera and Mr. Matt Cooke of T&T Salvage, presented on submerged oil recovery operations and a case study involving the sunken Tank Barge Argo that leaked a toxic cargo. Mr. Wolfgang Kongel of ExxonMobil presented on: the different types of oil spill models; steps to be taken in the oil spill response modeling process; and samples of trajectories for actual and potential spill discharges in the Wider Caribbean. 3.3 Mr. David Pertiz of Shell then presented on the Risk Assessment Process, including: the definition of Risk, Risk Perception, Risk Based Management Elements; Risk Identification / Evaluation / Assessment /Management; a Risk Assessment Matrix; the ALARP Concept; and two related IPIECA Guides: Oil Spill Preparedness and Response; and Oil Spill Risk Assessment and Response Planning for Offshore Installations. 3.4 To finish the first day, Keith Donohue provided an overview of the IMO Workshops held by RAC/REMPEITC-Caribe over the past year, including: the RETOS assessments conducted; gaps and lessons identified; and relevant recommendations to help improved spill preparedness and response throughout the WCR made by the patricians of those workshops. Additionally, Maartje Forlbert provided via video teleconference, a final presentation on the actual regional coordination and collaboration that occurred between officials from Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela, Bonaire, Curacao, Aruba, Netherlands, The IMA Regional Activity Center in Trinidad and Tobago, and RAC/REMPEITC- Caribe following oiling events that occurred throughout the Southern Caribbean after an oil storage tank ruptured at a Petrotrin facility in Trinidad and Tobago on April 23, 2017. 8
Figure 2: Day 1: Workshop Participants Photos by DIMAR 9
Figure 3: Day 1: Workshop Participants Photos by DIMAR 10
3.5 Day Two began with representatives from each of the participant countries giving a presentation on the status of their: 3.5.1 Offshore oil activities (including potential risks); 3.5.2 National Pollution Response Resources and Equipment Stockpiles (if any); 3.5.3 Commercial Pollution Response Resources and Equipment Stockpiles (if any); 3.5.4 National, bi-lateral or commercial Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) for spill response equipment (if any); and 3.5.5 Use of an Incident Management System (if any) 3.6 Following the Country Status Overviews was the session titled: Spill Response Strategies and Equipment. To begin this session, Mr. Diego Echeverri of LAMOR Corporation presented on the requirements for offshore Booming and Skimming Operations, including: strategies; efficiencies and advantages of using mechanical methods to recover oil; capacity considerations; local versus hired in resources; spill containment; and challenges. Following Mr. Echeverri s presentation, all workshop participants departed the hotel venue to the Colombia Naval Base, ARC Bolívar, in Cartagena. Shoreside at the base, Varichem s Jaime Herrera, Carolina Lara, and Felipe Sanchez, along with a support vessel, crew and manager from Intertug S.A., displayed, described and deployed various oil spill response equipment for the participants. Photos by Keith Donohue, RAC/REMPEITC-Caribe Figure 4: Deployment of VERICHEM oil spill response equipment at Colombia Naval Base, ARC, Bolívar, in Cartagena 11
Aerial photo by VERICHEM, equipment photos by Keith M. Donohue, RAC/REMPEITC-Caribe Figure 5: Deployment of VERICHEM oil spill response equipment at Colombia Naval Base, ARC, Bolívar, in Cartagena 3.7 The Spill Response Strategies and Equipment session continued on through Day Three, beginning with a presentation by Mr. Ian Moscoso of OSRL on Subsea well Capping, Containment, Plugging and Relief Well Operations and Equipment Requirements; followed by a presentation on Dispersant Operations and Equipment Requirements by Mr. Wolfgang Konkel; a Presentation on Fire Fighting, Salvage and Harbors of Refuge Operations and Equipment Requirements by Mr. Matt Cooke; 12
and a final presentation on In-Situ burning Operations and Equipment Requirements by Mr. Konkel. To end the Session, a panel discussion was held with: Mr. Konkel from Exxon Mobile; Mr. Diego Garcia from LAMOR; Mr. Moscoso from OSRL; Mr. Cooke from T&T Salvage; Mr. Marco Olier Mendoza from DIMAR, Mr. Pertuz from Shell; Ms. Carolina Lara from Varichem; and Mr. Miguel Moyano of ARPEL who participated via video teleconference from Uruguay. Keith Donohue of RAC/REMPEITC-Caribe facilitated the discussion with the workshop participants asking the panel questions (See Annex 5). Photos by DIMAR Figure 6: Panel discussion on spill response equipment: Wolfgang Konkel from Exxon Mobile; Mr. Diego Garcia from LAMOR; Ian Moscoso from OSRL; Matt Cooke from T&T Salvage; Marco Olier Mendoza from DIMAR, David Pertuz from Shell; Carolina Lara from Varichem; and Miguel Moyano of ARPEL, facilitated by Keith Donohue of RAC/REMPEITC-Caribe 13
3.8 At the invitation of Contralmirante Paulo Guevara Rodriguez, the Director General of DIMAR, a welcome dinner sponsored by DIMAR was held on the evening of the third day at the Naval Base Officer s Club in Cartagena. Figure 7: DIMAR welcome dinner at Naval Base Officer s Club in Cartagena Photos by DIMAR 14
3.9 Day Four, the final day of the workshop, focused on Incident Management, Drills and Exercises. To start this session, class participants were first given different roles at random, then they all had to come together as a group and form an organization based on a fictitious disaster scenario provided. Mr. Keith Donohue then led with presentations introducing the concepts, principles, functions and responsibilities of Incident Management Systems (IMS) utilizing IMO s Guidance Document on the Implementation of an Incident Management System (IMS) 1. Next, IMS Management Principles and Incident Action Plans were presented using the IMO Guidance. Divided into groups, each group then had to create: an Incident Management Team; Strategies; Tactics; Objectives; and a complete Incident Action Plan based on a maritime incident and oil spill scenario provided. Figure 8: Incident Management table top exercise Photos by DIMAR 1 GUIDANCE DOCUMENT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF AN INCIDENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (IMS), IMO Publishing, 4 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7SR, UK, Sales number: I581E ISBN: 978-92-801-1553-6; Email sales@imo.org; ) 15
Figure 9: Incident Management table top exercise Photos by DIMAR 3.10 Next in the IMS, Drills and Exercise Session, another panel discussion was held with Mr. Moscoso, Mr. Pertuz, Mr. Cooke, and Mr. Konkel providing subject matter expertise to questions fielded from the participants related to: Tools for developing national drills and exercise programs; program; Connecting and participating in commercially led exercises; and Conducting/participating in regional spill exercises. Photo by DIMAR Figure 10 : Panel Discussion on Drills and Exercises: Ian Moscoso from OSRL; David Pertuz from Shell; Matt Cooke from T&T Salvage; Wolfgang Konkel from ExxonMobile; 16
3.11 For the final session of the workshop, three groups were chosen to represent their nations for a simulated regional oil spill coordination exercise. Members from the three groups participated as if they were on a regional spill coordination call. The participants presented updates and questions to each other regarding the status and trajectory of the spill based on the scenario provided. They discussed equipment, resources, and technical assistance both provided and needed, as well as what means and procedures should be followed by the individual States to coordinate and communicate further as the spill scenario progressed. 3.12 For the culmination of the workshop, DIMAR s Director General, Contralmirante Paulo Guevara Rodriguez, attended and presided over the closing ceremony. Photo by DIMAR Figure 11: Closing Ceremony: Mr. Ian Moscoso, Ms. Carla Bikker, Mr. Diego Garcia, Mr. Matthew Cooke, Mr. Keith M. Donohue, Contralmirante Paulo Guevara Rodriguez, Captain Pedro Javier Prada, Mr. Jaime Herrera Diaz, Mr. Wolfgang Konkel, Mr. David Pertuz, Ms. Carolina Lara Moreno, and Mr. Nelson Sanchez Rodriguez 17