ISCO Wins IMO Permanent Consultative Status

The International Spill Control Organization (ISCO, UK) has recently received a written confirmation that the Assembly of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has approved the award of full consultative status. ISCO received provisional consultative status at IMO four years ago, and since this time, has been actively representing the international spill response community at meetings of the Marine Environment Protection Committee and the IMO OPRC-HNS Working Group.  

 

David Usher, ISCO President and Chairman of Detroit-based ISCO member Marine Pollution Control, and John McMurtrie, went forward with the idea of giving to the environmental communities of the world the knowledge of discovery and resolution of spills of consequence.

 

ISCO Secretary John McMurtrie added that the professionals in the front line of spill combat operations will join with other organisations at IMO representing oil, shipping and environmental interests. The inclusion of those who provide the essential infrastructure for spill response fills a longstanding gap and will ensure a much better balance, allowing direct dialogue between IMO and the spill response community.

 

The transition from provisional to permanent observer status at IMO is an important milestone for ISCO. Recognition at IMO followed two years after ISCO's re-launch at IOSC Miami in 2005.