Regional Webinar on the Study on Readiness of the Mediterranean Region to Respond to Marine Pollution Incidents Involving Low-Sulphur Fuels and Alternative fuels, and the Revised Guidelines for the Use of Dispersants for Combating Oil Pollution at Sea in the Mediterranean Region

The Regional Marine Pollution Emergency Response Centre for the Mediterranean Sea (REMPEC) is organising a Regional Webinar on the Study on Readiness of the Mediterranean Region to Respond to Marine Pollution Incidents Involving Low-Sulphur Fuels and Alternative Fuels, and the Revised Guidelines for the Use of Dispersants for Combating Oil Pollution at Sea in the Mediterranean region.

The Webinar that will be held on Monday 17 November 2025 is financed by the UNEP/MAP Mediterranean Trust Fund (MTF).

One of REMPEC’s key objectives is to enable the Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention (CPs) to adapt and enhance their preparedness and regional cooperation to respond to marine pollution, by updating operational arrangements and guidelines in line with emerging technologies. A concrete example is the development, within the UNEP/MAP POW 2024-2025, of the Study on Readiness of the Mediterranean Region to Respond to Marine Pollution Incidents Involving Low-Sulphur Fuels and Alternative Fuels and the revised Guidelines for the Use of Dispersants for Combating Oil Pollution at Sea in the Mediterranean Region.

This Study was commissioned by REMPEC in line with Decision IG.25/14 of COP 22 (Türkiye, December 2021) on the Designation of the Mediterranean Sea, as an Emission Control Area for Sulphur Oxides (Med SO_X ECA), requesting REMPEC to provide technical support to CPs for the implementation of this Decision. The Study was considered by the 16th Meeting of the Focal Points of REMPEC (Malta, June 2025), that agreed on the proposed Strategic Roadmap to implement the Study recommendations on the Short-Medium-Long term. The Meeting also agreed to the action plan to operationalise the Strategic Roadmap for the short-term phase, including on capacity building and training. The organisation of this Webinar forms part of this strategic objective, specifically focusing on conducting regional training workshops and exercises. 

Furthermore, considering the developments in the field of dispersants since 2011 and the conclusions of the Sub-regional Workshop on Dispersants (Greece, November 2021), REMPEC developed an updated version of the Guidelines, more precisely its Part II Basic Information on Dispersants and their Application. The updated version tailored to the Mediterranean conditions and reflecting updates on dispersants types, response techniques, and ecosystem data was submitted to the 16th Meeting of the REMPEC Focal Points which recognised the value of the Guidelines for the Use of Dispersants for Combating Oil Pollution (2011) and approved the revised Part II of the Guidance Document Basic Information on Dispersants and their Application (2025).

To support the CPs in gaining practical knowledge on these new developments and strengthening their technical understanding to enhance preparedness for response to spills involving Low Sulphur Fuels and Alternative Fuels, inter alia regarding the use of dispersants, REMPEC will organise this regional webinar on both deliverables, in two sessions, as follows: 

• Session 1: Outcome of the Study on Readiness of the Mediterranean Region to Respond to Marine Pollution Incidents involving Low-Sulphur Fuels and Alternative Fuels (REMPEC 2025); and 

• Session 2: Overview of the revised Part II Basic Information on Dispersants and their Application (REMPEC 2025) of the Guidelines for the Use of Dispersants for Combating Oil Pollution at Sea in the Mediterranean Region (REMPEC 2011).

The principal objectives of the Webinar will be:

.1        to enhance awareness and technical understanding of the national competent authorities and stakeholders enabling the implementation of the above-mentioned roadmap and the contribution to achieving the Study’s four strategic objectives; and

.2       to highlight the above-mentioned updates since 2011 on dispersants, response techniques, and ecosystem data for dispersants safe use and effective response techniques to marine pollution incidents.

The target audience for the Webinar are government officials responsible for the preparedness and response to marine pollution.