(EnergyAsia, March 31, Tuesday) --- The ‘6th Biennial International Chemical and Oil Pollution Conference and Exhibition’ (ICOPCE 2009)’ will be held at the Raffles City Convention Centre in Singapore from April 21 to 24.

Organised by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), ICOPCE 2009 is the only conference dedicated to the prevention and preparedness for oil and chemical spills to be held in conjuction with Singapore Maritime Week.

The conference will feature a keynote address by Lim Hwee Hua, Senior Minister of State for Finance and Transport and presentations by oil majors, ship owners and managers, specialist response agencies and key industry bodies.

Speakers will be addressing the challenges in the transportation of oil, chemicals and petrochemicals. They will also discuss the latest trends in prevention, preparedness, response and clean-up of chemical and oil marine spills.

A pre-conference workshop will be held on April 21 and a chemical spill exercise on April 24.

Topics covered include trends in global oil and shipping operations, developing integrated response systems, best practice preparedness and response in Japan and Australia, changing requirements in safe shipping, and IMO Conventions and their impact on the industry.

The conference will focus on partnerships and cooperation to improve industry preparedness and response to oil spills, types and quantities of chemicals transiting through Singapore, disaster possibilities, risks in the chemical and petrochemical industries, and safety issues.

Speakers will discuss case studies including the ‘Hebei Spirit’ oil spill in South Korea.

Speakers at the event include Alexander Walker (Chevron Shipping Company), Satnam Singh Kumar (V Ships Asia), Woo-Rack SUH (Korea Marine Environment Management Corporation), Phil Davies (OCIMF), Peter Swift (Intertanko), Gavin Kramer (BP Shipping), Dave Salt (OSR), Bernard Lesegretain (Total Trading Asia), Raphael P.M. Lotilla (PEMSEA),

Nishigaki Kenji (Petroleum Association of Japan Australian Maritime Safety Authority), Paul Nelson (AMSA), Jason Yap (AEA Group), John Dipple (Seacor), John Brinkman (Imbibitive Technologies), Hor Weng Yew (AET Tankers), Willem Oosterveen (IOPC Funds),

Zafrul Alam (Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore), James Samuel (IMC Corp), Max Peirson (Stolt-Nielsen Singapore), Chan Kok Leong (GBLT Ship Management), Joe Loring (US Coast Guard), Rajalingam Subramaniam (MISC Bhd), and Bjorn Tore Markussen (DNV Maritime Solutions).

An interactive response simulation exercise will be conducted on day two of the conference. The role play session will focus on a spill scenario and provide participants with an opportunity to appreciate the practical problems and challenges encountered. Facilitators of the simulation include Hari Annan (BP Shipping), Chris Richards (SEMCO), Dave Salt (OSR), Wendy Ng (Charles Taylor Mutual Management), and Steven Ng (Mileage Communications).

For more information on the conference, please contact

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