Recent ARCOPOL workshop a success

BeachThe Marine Institute hosted the ARCOPOL project’s regional oil spill modelling workshop on Tuesday 13th September 2011. The workshop, which was funded under EU INTERREG IVB ATLANTIC AREA programme, was attended by 30 delegates, including project partners, local and national government agencies, environmental consultants and industry representatives.  

The morning session saw a series of presentations on oil spill modelling ranging from the development of operational modelling tools, case studies on the role models play in response operations, interactive web-enabled commercial modelling applications and ongoing developments in the ARCOPOL project delivering integrated spill modelling systems and dynamic risk assessment tools. We thank all speakers for their  excellent, informative presentations and contributions,  

The afternoon session began with a summary of the morning presentations and included a general discussion on integrating publicly available metocean data sets into oil drift and weathering applications, and the interaction between various national and international agencies in responding to oil spills.   The discussions were followed by a series of hands-on demonstrations where delegates had the chance to interact with the modelling systems developed in the ARCOPOL project and understand the advances being made in the field of oil spill modelling and response options internationally.

All speakers have generously made their presentations available online at the Marine Institute Site at:  ARCOPOL Presentations pdf (23 Mb)

 

ARCOPOL Logo

 

 

WHAT IS ARCOPOL?  

ARCOPOL is an ERDF funded project framed in the Atlantic Area Transnational Programme. The project was developed on the basis of the experience acquired through EROCIPS (Interreg IIIB) and aims to improve the preparedness, response and mitigation capabilities of local responders to accidental coastal pollution, specifically against oil, HNS and inert spills and to establish the basis for a sustainable Atlantic network of experts supported by adequate information, data exchange and management tools.  

Specifically, ARCOPOL aims to:

  • Incorporate outputs from EROCIPS into national, regional and local response plans
  • Improve response capabilities in the event of HNS and inert spills
  • Raise the level of awareness and training of responders and to increase the degree of stakeholder involvement
  • Encourage cross boarder collaboration between neighbouring countries to improve response strategies and enhance mutual aid capabilities
  • Develop a network of experts, within the Atlantic region, to advise local responders
  • Improve mitigation capabilities by assessing current claim and compensation mechanisms as well as ecological damage compensation procedures
  • Develop guidelines, tools and standard methodologies to assist responders  

EXPECTED RESULTS  

ARCOPOL will contribute to the improvement of maritime safety, to the sustainable management and protection of the marine resources and to the protection of sensitive natural sites, water resources and coastal zones.

Moreover, ARCOPOL will create the foundation and establish the guiding principles of a sustainable Atlantic network of organizations and experts on spill and HNS response of the Atlantic Area. ARCOPOL will also develop operational guides, protocols, methodologies and tools dedicated to local responders. This will be transferable across member states seeking to adopt a holistic approach to preparedness, response and mitigation of oil and HNS spills.

Website: www.arcopol.eu