UK Strategic Expert Training for Oil Spill Responders of South Asian Seas Region
By Sarah Valenti, Bethany Graves and Todd Last
OCCPOcean Country Partnership ProgrammeMarine pollution emergency response
Our latest blog post highlights marine pollution emergency response training being delivered this month in the UK as part of our work under the Ocean Country Partnership Programme (OCPP) in collaboration with the South Asia Co-operative Environment Programme (SACEP).
Photo 1: SACEP delegates group photo in Bristol
Photo 2: Two SACEP delegates and Ambipar staff member at Milford Haven beach
The Ocean Country Partnership Programme (OCPP) partnered with the South Asia Co-operative Environment Programme (SACEP) to host a multi-day training symposium from 3rd to 15th March 2025, in the United Kingdom.
JNCC staff, along with colleagues from Cefas, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and Ambipar UK delivered two weeks of capacity building training on emergency response to marine pollution. The programme focused on strategic and technical aspects of oil and chemical spill response, operational decision making in emergency situations, exposure to cutting-edge tools and technologies used by the UK in oil spill management, and regional cross-border working practices.
The training was designed to support the continued development of the SACEP marine pollution response framework and strengthen capabilities to respond to marine pollution emergencies. Over 40 stakeholders from key organisations involved in marine pollution response across the five SACEP member countries – Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka – attended the two-week training. This includes representatives from relevant Ministries, coast guards, port authorities, and environmental authorities and agencies, across the five countries.
The risk of shipping incidents that can cause spills of toxic pollutants is increasing due to increasing vessel traffic fuelled by globalisation. Spills can include hydrocarbons, plastics and hazardous and noxious substances, such as the MV Wakashio which grounded on the outer reef of Mauritius spilling ~1,000 tons of low sulphur fuel oil into the surrounding marine environment.
Such incidents can have devastating impacts. Spills threaten marine biodiversity, world heritage sites and livelihoods of communities, and have long lasting effects on the environment, local economies, and health and safety of local populations. It is therefore important that nations around the world have a cost-effective system to proactively respond to a spill incident. This training symposium and the emergency response programme were designed to address this need in the South Asia region.
Building capacity across stakeholder groups will better ensure knowledge and skills are retained in-country to support ongoing development. The regional approach is designed to help create and strengthen relationships between SACEP countries to bolster joint response and working, mutual aid and effective resource sharing in the event of an incident.
Prior to the training, attendees familiarized themselves with their country’s pollution response contingency plan as well as the South Asia Seas SACEP Regional Response Plan. As part of the symposium, participants were then invited to exchange knowledge and ideas to encourage effective collaboration between stakeholders, cross border working, and the sharing of data, expertise and tools, so they can learn together how to be better prepared to prevent and respond to marine incidents, protecting the marine environment and the coastal communities that rely on it. Before discussing lessons learned from incidents, showcasing best practice from around the world, and committing to next steps to ensure longevity of the partnership.
Photo 3: Members of the Maldives Coastguard posing with SACEP photo frame
The training began with an excellent opening plenary from our own Chris Tuckett, then a week of sessions held from Ambipar’s base in Bristol, with sessions delivered by Ambipar, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, SACEP, JNCC, Milford Haven Port Authority, Resolve and International Oil Pollution Compensation. The sessions included training in the UK’s counter pollution arrangements, including key protocols and equipment, practical marine casualty workshops, and training in incident response and preparedness, including lessons learned from participants’ respective countries.
Photo 4: SACEP delegates at table-top port of refuge discussion exercise
The second week of training included a site visit to the see the impacts of the MV Sea Empress oil spill at the entrance to Milford Haven water way on the southwest coast of Wales. This practical case study enabled participants, guided by a marine biologist, to learn first-hand about the impacts of this large oil spill, and to see the Port of Milford Haven Stockpile at Pembroke Dock. Next participants saw an equipment deployment for emergency pollution response at the quay side of Avonmouth port.
Photo 5: SACEP delegates listening to biodiversity expert on Milford Haven beach
The two-week training programme concluded with a visit to the Cefas laboratory in Lowestoft, where delegates were introduced to Cefas staff and experts who shared their knowledge on key topics such as preparedness, fate and transport modelling, hydrocarbon analysis and fingerprinting, ecotoxicology, microplastics, and floating litter in the Bay of Bengal. The programme also featured insights from ITOPF experts Suzanne Ware and Conor Bolas, who discussed the challenges of monitoring in complex environments, coordination, and regional agreements and conventions. Delegates also had the opportunity to explore Cefas laboratories, where scientists demonstrated their work in pollution response. Additionally, they were introduced to innovative technologies and tools from Cefas’ electronics, marine observations, and drone workshops, highlighting the capabilities in marine environment monitoring and evaluation. The visit ended with a delegates receiving their certificates at a closing ceremony.
Photo 6: SACEP delegates
Feedback was overwhelmingly positive (Figure 1), with the large majority of the attendees saying they learnt a lot and felt a strengthening of SACEP connections.
Figure 1: Feedback data on the event, investigating the understanding, impact and enjoyment of collaborative aspects across all attending delegates. (Select image for larger version)
The event made an important contribution to enhancing resilience for the wider region, increasing capacity in marine pollution emergency response prevention and preparedness to better ensure the sustainable management of the marine environment and resilience to coastal communities. We look forward to continuing the SACEP engagement into next financial year, so watch this space!
Photo 7: Group photo of SACEP delegates in Cefas offices, Lowestoft.
The OCPP is a UK Government led programme, delivered under the Blue Planet Fund, which partners with in-country organisations and provides technical assistance to deliver tangible and positive impacts on the livelihoods of coastal communities that depend on healthy marine ecosystems. Bilateral partnerships under the OCPP are primarily delivered by the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture (Cefas), the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) and the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). For further information about our work on Emergency Response under the Ocean Country Partnership Programme, visit our OCPP Emergency Response webpage.
Images copyright JNCC