IOPC Funds’ Director delivers lecture at 2025 IFLOS Summer Academy

On 25 July 2025, IOPC Funds’ Director, Gaute Sivertsen, returned to the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) in Hamburg, Germany, where he delivered a lecture to participants of the 2025 Summer Academy, organised by the International Foundation for the Law of the Sea (IFLOS).

The four-week course, which focuses on matters relating to both international law of the sea and maritime law, typically attracts a range of participants, including diplomats, practitioners, and PhD students, amongst others.

Director Sivertsen’s lecture was divided into three sessions, with the first one providing an overview of the role and structure of the IOPC Funds and the legal framework governing the international liability and compensation regime for oil pollution damage.

In the second session, the Director gave insight into the types of claims covered under the 1992 Civil Liability and Fund Conventions, including the general criteria applied by the IOPC Funds in determining their admissibility. He explained the claims-handling process and the key principles regarding claims submission.

During the final session, the Director updated his audience on the current oil pollution incidents involving the IOPC Funds and identified the key challenges the organisation is presently focused on. In this regard, he made reference to the failure of some Member States to comply with their obligations, the potential impact of international sanctions, and the need to ensure treaty-compliant insurance arrangements. He also provided a comprehensive overview of the 2010 Convention on the Carriage of Hazardous and Noxious Substances (HNS) by sea, including its status and financing, and the IOPC Funds’ role in the lead up to its entry into force.

The Director’s presentations were well received by course participants, who asked a wide range of questions following the conclusion of each session.