19 September 2013: Members of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme have endorsed the Pacific Islands Regional Marine Spill Contingency Plan (PACPLAN). PACPLAN is a guide for Pacific countries in responding to spills of oil, hazardous or noxious substances.

The plan was endorsed at the 24th Meeting of Officials of the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), which took place in Apia, Samoa, from 17-19 September 2013. PACPLAN outlines necessary cooperation between countries, as well as providing guidance on national-level preparations for emergency situations. The Plan refers to three tiers of oil spills: spills localized at a facility, such as an oil terminal where the terminal can respond; spills that island countries are equipped to address themselves; and major spills putting the contingency PACPLAN into action, including comprehensive response operations.

The development of the PACPLAN, which involved a six-month consultation with SPREP members, was funded by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the Governments of Australia, France, New Zealand and the US. [SPREP Press Release] [Publication: Pacific Islands Regional Marine Spill Contingency Plan 2013] [24th Meeting Website]