CMI Mexico Colloquium 2019 and Marine Environment Protection Seminar

At the invitation of the Mexican Maritime Law Association (Mexican MLA) and the Comité Maritime International (CMI), the Director of the IOPC Funds, José Maura, and the Head of Claims, Liliana Monsalve, were delighted to participate in the Mexico Colloquium 2019, in Mexico City, from 29 September to 2 October 2019.  This event was followed by a two-day Marine Environment Protection seminar organised by the P&I Services Mexico with the support of the International Group of P&I Associations, from 3 to 4 October 2019.

During the Mexico Colloquium 2019, discussions were held around topics including the future of maritime lawyers, cybercrime and insurance coverage issues and the offshore energy industry 40 years after the IXTOC-I incident, a well which suffered a blowout resulting in a major oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 1979.  José Maura delivered a presentation on the international liability and compensation regime for oil pollution damage and explained the benefits to States of ratifying those Conventions.  Liliana Monsalve had the pleasure to act as a moderator for two sessions – ’Women in today’s shipping world‘ and ‘Civil Liability, IOPC Funds and HNS Conventions – is it time for Latin American Governments to ratify these Conventions?’  All sessions led to interactive dialogue between delegates and speakers.

The Marine Environment Protection seminar included key local stakeholders in the Maritime Market, P&I Clubs and Government Authorities.  Interesting discussions took place around the maritime industry and its role in the protection of the environment, placing a special emphasis on the cooperative role between the maritime industry and Government in preventing environmental damage in the event of ship-source pollution.  This was followed by a theoretical exercise run by the International Group of P&I Associations with the assistance of the IOPC Funds and ITOPF on oil pollution response.