IMO conducts oil spill response workshop in Senegal

The use of oil spill dispersants, which can be used to break down an oil slick into smaller droplets as part of response efforts, was the subject of a workshop that took place in Dakar, Senegal, on 17-20 July, IMO announced.

Participants from 11 countries attended the sub-regional workshop, which analysed national policies on dispersant use and provided training on further development and implementation of these policies.

The event also looked at how the Net Environmental Benefit Analysis ensures that the response to an incident does not result in greater harm to the environment than may have already occurred.

The Dakar workshop was organized under the Global Initiative for West, Central and Southern Africa (GI WACAF) – a joint IMO-IPIECA project. IMO’s Julien Favier of the GI WACAF project, Clement Chazot, Project Manager of the GI WACAF, and a team of consultants are facilitating the event, which is hosted by HASSMAR – the Senegalese authority in charge of maritime safety and security, and the protection of the marine environment.

The participant countries were Benin, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal and Togo.