Dear Members of ISCO,
IOSC Conference at Long Beach, California, USA – Notice of AGM Meeting, RESPONSECON presentation and other news from the ISCO Secretariat
TUESDAY 16th MAY – Presentation on the new RESPONSECON Standard Contract for Spill Response and Reception being hosted by ISCO, Spill Control Association of America (SCAA) and Association of Petroleum Industry Cooperative Managers (APICOM)
You are invited to a presentation on the new International Spill Response Contract taking place at 5 pm on Tuesday 16th May in room 101A in the IOSC Convention Centre. The presentation will be given by Mr Tony Paulson, Director of the West of England P&I Club and Chairman of the joint ISCO-BIMCO Working Group. The presentation will be followed by a food and refreshments reception jointly hosted by ISCO, SCAA and APICOM
Work on the development of the contract is now virtually complete with publication expected in summer, 2017. Participants in the WG have included not only representatives of ISCO and BIMCO but also those of the International Group of P&I Clubs, ITOPF, ISU, the Spill Control Association of America and other interested parties. A wide consultation exercise has also been conducted with other stakeholders.
The availability of the new International Response Contract will complement other initiatives designed to improve spill response mechanisms, including the recently published IMO Guidelines for International Offers of Assistance and ISCO’s Emergency Assistance facility for rapid sourcing of response resources.
More information on the new contract was published in issue 571 of the ISCO Newsletter which can be found at http://spillcontrol.org/2013-02-05-11-11-41/2013-02-05-11-26-54/doc_download/508-isco-571-newsletter
WEDNESDAY 17th MAY – ISCO 2017 Annual General Meeting
The ISCO 2017 AGM will be held at from 5 pm to 6.30 pm on Wednesday 17th May in Room 101A (same room as before) at the IOSC Convention Centre at Long Beach California. You will have the opportunity to meet members of the ISCO Committee and Council who will be attending the meeting.
After the AGM attendees are invited to join ISCO Corporate Member Marine Pollution Control’s 50th Anniversary Celebration Reception starting at 7pm in the Hyatt Hotel. The hotel is very close to the Convention Centre. There will be a jazz band, food and refreshments. More details will soon be published in the ISCO Newsletter.
ISCO Booth in Exhibition Area at IOSC Conference
The ISCO Booth is Number 408. ISCO representatives in attendance will include David Usher, John McMurtrie, Matthew Sommerville and Mary Ann Dalgleish. Please make a point of calling by to say hello.
Retirement of the Secretary of ISCO and Appointment of his Successor
It is now quite a while since I advised members of the Executive Committee of my intention to retire and stand down as the Secretary of ISCO. Over the last few months the Committee has been giving much thought to the matter of recruiting my successor.
I am pleased and relieved to be able to tell you that, following extended discussions, Matthew Sommerville has confirmed that he is willing to take on the task. Although he has only recently been seconded to the Executive Committee, Matthew has been part of the ISCO delegation at IOPC Funds for some time and has also supported our inputs at IMO. I know that he has a strong interest and commitment to ISCO. Matthew has more than 34 years’ experience in the spill response industry, with broad spectrum management experience and able to provide strategic direction and development. He has excellent communication skills and a network of contacts across the globe, including government and intergovernmental agencies, response organisations, manufacturers, insurers and research organisations. I believe that he has the ability, knowledge and enthusiasm to take ISCO forward. I am therefore recommending his appointment to take my place. ISCO President David Usher; other members of the Committee and ISCO Council have also expressed their support for Matthew taking on this position.
Matthew has developed a paper in which he presents his thoughts and ideas on options for ISCO’s future development. To download and read his paper please click on http://spillcontrol.org/images/ISCO_Evolution_and_Development_2017_300317.docx
The ISCO AGM during IOPC at Long Beach on May 17 has to fit within a 1.5 hour time slot, so time for discussion will be limited. For those of you who will be at the AGM, please review Matthew’s paper before the meeting and identify any particular points on which you may wish to comment. For those of you who cannot be at the AGM, please do the same and send me your thoughts in time for them to be circulated before the meeting.
As the main purpose of the meeting will be to introduce Matthew, formally endorse his appointment as the new Secretary, and discuss the future development of ISCO, I do not plan to send out a formal agenda and other meeting papers at this time.
Kind regards
John McMurtrie
