12-14 November 2024, the Regional Workshop on Oil Spill Preparedness and Response: Commitment and Synergy was held at Elite World Hotel in Istanbul-Turkey under the Aupices of the Minsitry of Transport and Infrastructure of the Republic of Turkey and in cooperation with MEKE Marine; at Elite World Hotel in Istanbul-Turkey.

The workshop was opened by Mr. Mahmoud KAMOUR, MOIG Chairman, Ms. Aysenur TURAN, representative of the Ministry Transportation and Infrastructure and Mr. M. Hakan CINER, General Manager of MEKE Marine.

The main objectives of this workshop were to improve the level of preparedness and response, to promote International sharing of best practices and lessons learned from previous oil spill incidents and exercises, to stay abreast of the newest technologies, to benefit from responders and manufactures technical expertise and to enhance communication and expert networking.

This event gathered over 60 delegates from Ministry, Oil&Gas industry, manufacturers, responders, agencies, International organizations and universities such as : AMPOL, ATRAC, BiAT-RH, Black Sea Technical University, Bosphorus University, Cedre, DESMI, Envora Arge Mühendislik A.Ş, Eastern Mediterranean University, EPE, ETAP, FORECO, IPIECA, JANAF, Primorje Gorski County, OIL STOP, OSRL, OSPRI, Q MARINE, NOC, NORBIT, NORLENSE, NOVAR, MARE, MARINPAK, MEKE Marine, Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, SEREPT, SPLIT-Damalta County, TANKMED, TPAO, TP-OTC, TRAPSA, Turkish Spill Response, TÜDAV, TÜÇA, UDEB, VEOLIA, VIKOMA and Zadar County.

The first two days workshop programme included 24 oral presentations hinged around six topics: T1 - Contingency Planning & Regulatory and Legal Requirements, T2 - Recent Developed Projects in the Mediterranean Region, T3 - Response Equipment and New Technology, T4 - Oil Spill Response Services and Challenges, T5 - Oil Spill Modeling and Training,T6 - Waste Management and Wastewater Treatment.

The third day event was dedicated to visit to the Turkish National Maritime Safety Center, UDEB located in Tekridag in the Northwest of Marmara Sea. Participants attended a presentation delivered by Captain Mustafa TASAN describing the activities and the facilities of the center.

Participants accompanied by UDEB representatives were afforded the opportunity to make a turn around the Center which allow them to see closely the all the types of simulators, the control and operations rooms, the conference centre dedicated to trainings, the warehouse and the pool.

We were very delighted with the outcome of this workshop, delegates had the opportunity to discuss and debate many issues of common interest and shared views, knowledge and experiences in how to enhance oil spill preparedness and response in the Mediterranean region.

At the end of the event, certificates of recognition were given by the Management Committee Members to all speakers, as a sign of thanks and gratitude for their valuable contribution to the success of this workshop. In addition, trophies were awarded to Mr. M. Kerem KEMERLI, Chairman of MEKE Marine and Mr. Bülent SONMEZ, UBED President by Mr. Mahmoud KAMOUR, MOIG Chairman, as a sign of thanks and recognition for their valuable support to MOIG in the organization of this event.

The MOIG Management Committee Members would like to extend their thanks to all attendees for their active participation, their interest to the workshop and the high quality of their interventions. The Management Committee Members would like also to express their sincere thanks to both MEKE MARINE and UDEB for their kind cooperation, hospitality and warm welcome extended to delegates during this event. Thus, will pave the way for further strengthening cooperation on oil spill preparedness and response between MEKE MARINE, UDEB and MOIG.