15 May 2012: The Steering Committee of the Regional Activity Centre/Regional Marine Pollution Emergency, Information and Training Centre (RAC/REMPEITC) for the Caribbean met to review the Centre’s work, plans for 2012-13, legal status and support from countries of the Wider Caribbean Region (WCR).

The Sixth Regular Meeting, held 9-10 May 2012, in Willemstad, Curaçao, was attended by government representatives from Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, Suriname and the US, as well as representatives from the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation (ITOPF), the Central American Maritime Transport Commission (COCATRAM) and Majestic Cruise Lines.

The Meeting reviewed the Centre’s activities for the 2010-2011 biennium, and gave the nod to a 2012-13 work-programme that includes activities on: oil spill preparedness, response and cooperation; ship ballast-water management; implementation of the IMO Convention on the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL); anti-fouling systems for ships; and liquid natural gas (LNG) as a fuel for ships. The Committee took particular note of a project for the development of a geographic information system (GIS) based database for maritime traffic in the WCR. This online tool will display the maritime routes and density in the region, aiding risk assessment related to shipping in the WCR.

The Committee also discuss the legal status of the Centre following the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles in October 2010, which turned Curaçao into an autonomous country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The Government of Curaçao agreed to continue hosting RAC/REMPEITC-Caribe.

While past and current contributions of the Governments of France, US and Curaçao, including short-term secondments, were recognized, the Committee suggested seeking additional support from WCR countries, including longer-term secondments (three to five years) and contributions to the Caribbean Trust Fund, in order to sustain REMPEITC’s activities. The Committee also urged more WCR countries to attend future ordinary Steering Committee Meetings. [IISD RS Sources] [Steering Committee Meeting webpage]