An IMO-supported international centre responsible for coordinating efforts to prevent oil spills and protect the marine environment in the north-west Pacific Ocean is to expand its areas of work, following a high-level meeting in Seoul on 28-30 August.
MERRAC (the Marine Environmental Emergency Preparedness and Response Regional Activity Centre), is the focus for cooperation between China, Japan, the Republic of Korea and the Russian Federation on preventing spills and ensuring an effective joint response to potential spills.
At the latest meeting of focal points, on 28-30 August, the four countries agreed to enhance their cooperation by identifying new areas of work for MERRAC, expected to start from 2020.
These relate to monitoring illegal discharges under IMO’s MARPOL convention, including by use of unmanned aircraft, and developing additional response manuals for managing spills involving hazardous and noxious substances (HNS), such as gasoline or liquefied gas.
MERRAC was established in 2000 by IMO, UN Environment and the Republic of Korea under UN Environment’s Regional Seas Programme.
Hosted in the Republic of Korea, it is one of four Regional Activity Centres operating within the Northwest Pacific Action Plan (NOWPAP).
The meeting (the 22nd NOWPAP-MERRAC Focal Points Meeting) also invited MERRAC to collaborate with similar centres established under other Regional Seas Programmes, such as REMPEC in the Mediterranean and REMPEITC in the Caribbean.
MERRAC is also to assist IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee in developing an operational guide on responding to HNS spills.
See also:
- Measures taken to improve oil spill contingency planning in South East Asia
- USCG published new guidelines for Oil Spill Removal Organization classification program
