Seminar on the role of the IOPC Funds hosted by the Japan Maritime Center

At the kind invitation of the Japan Maritime Center (JMC), the IOPC Funds held a joint seminar entitled ‘The role of the IOPC Funds in the protection of the marine environment, now and in the future’ on 18 October 2023 at the Iino Conference Center in Tokyo.  This in-person and online event was organised in cooperation with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) and attracted over 100 physical attendees and over 200 remote participants.

Following the opening of the event by JMC Chair, Masafumi Shukuri, the Director, Gaute Sivertsen, gave a key-note speech in which he thanked the JMC for organising the seminar and expressed what a pleasure and also how very useful it was for the IOPC Funds to come to Japan and to meet with so many key stakeholders.

He delivered a presentation which provided a general overview of the international liability and compensation regime. He explained some of the key challenges that the organisation is currently facing and reported on general developments in the international regime.

The programme which followed included speakers from the Japanese Government, industry representatives and experts from OCIMF and ITOPF.

Following the presentations, a panel discussion was held, which was coordinated by 1992 Fund Assembly First Vice-Chair, Professor Tomotaka Fujita.  The event was closed by current member of the IOPC Funds’ Audit Body, Dr Hideo Osuga. The Director was accompanied at the event by Policy Officer, Yuji Okugawa.