Sub-regional workshop in Slovenia on the liability and compensation regime for oil pollution damage

At the invitation of the Regional Marine Pollution Emergency Response Centre for the Mediterranean Sea (REMPEC), the IOPC Funds contributed to the delivery of a sub-regional workshop on liability and compensation for oil pollution damage in Slovenia on 17 and 18 June 2025.

The event, which was attended by representatives from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Montenegro, Morocco, Slovenia and Spain, included a full programme of presentations, Q&A sessions and practical exercises jointly delivered by the IOPC Funds, the International Group of P&I Associations and ITOPF.

IOPC Funds Claims Manager, Mark Homan, provided an overview of the 1992 Civil Liability and Fund Conventions as well as of the 2010 HNS Convention, before working together with the other speakers across the two-day event to explain the types of claims covered by the 1992 Conventions and the admissibility criteria applied during their assessment.  The opportunity was taken to highlight some of the common problems that can arise in connection with the submission of claims in each sector and to train them in the presentation of claims in advance of any future incident.

The workshop concluded with examples of case studies within the region, followed by a session on the importance of implementation of the Conventions into national law.

Outside of the workshop a visit was organised of the national maritime control and safety centre in the port of Koper.

The whole event was a valuable occasion to engage with both Member and non-Member States to widen awareness of the international liability and compensation regime, to provide training on the submission of claims and to highlight some of the potential challenges that a State can face when impacted by a major pollution incident.  The Secretariat is grateful to REMPEC for organising this successful event and for its continued cooperation and efforts to promote all the IMO liability Conventions in the region.