Oil Spill Response Training Courses from Environmental Protection Engineering S.A. Accredited from The United Kingdom’s Nautical Institute according to IMO

Piraeus January 5th 2011

Today training in the maritime industry, refineries, ports and virtually any facility that handles oils or petro-chemicals is considered the best and most important means of effectively implementing emergency spill response plans.

Environmental Protection Engineering S.A., after listening closely to the needs of industry and the maritime industry as well as the increasing awareness of the public, is very pleased to announce the official accreditation of our Oil Spill Response Training Courses from the United Kingdom’s Nautical Institute according to the IMO (International Maritime Organization) Standards.

Environmental Protection Engineering S.A. is the only accredited company in Greece and one of the few worldwide to have this accreditation. Our instructors of various disciplines (Environmental Consultants, Oceanographers, Chemical Engineers, Environmentalists and Mariners) have great experience in oil spill response operations.

The training courses consist of three different response levels set by the International Convention on Preparedness, Response and Cooperation for Oil Pollution and the Protocol on Hazardous and Noxious Substances, commonly known as OPRC/HNS as well as practical familiarization seminars and more specifically:

- IMO Level 1 / First Responders – First Level of Response
- IMO Level 2 / On Scene Commanders – Second Level of Response
- ΙΜΟ Level 3 / Spill Management – Management and Planning of Spill Response Operations, Third Level of Response
- Practical Courses on Spill Response
- Introduction and awareness courses on HNS (Hazardous and Noxious Substances)
- Incident Management for HNS (Hazardous and Noxious Substances)
- Awareness courses on Oil Spill Response

Level 1 Courses (First Responders) are designed for those staff responding to the incident that are responsible for the immediate stop of leakage, communicating with the port authorities, implementing the first but critical actions for pollution combating and operating all available means for the collection of oil on deck and in other areas of the vessel or installation. Officers, ships' crews and technical personnel working in oil handling facilities can obtain through their training, knowledge and skills that can assist in a prompt response during an emergency but also to the prevention of a larger spill and the minimization of the environmental impacts.

Level 2 courses (On Scene Commanders) are designed for those staff responsible for coordinating the operations on behalf of their company, data and sample collection and record keeping and decision making on strategic and tactics on combating pollution.

Level 3 courses (Administrators and Senior Executives) are designed for senior staff in charge of pollution incident planning, environmental protection and maintaining a satisfactory level of preparedness for ships or installations and cooperation with authorities.

The seminars offered by Environmental Protection Engineering S.A. are flexible and can be tailored to the specific needs of the vessel or the installation (depending on the type of oil or chemicals transported, the operating areas etc.). An additional important advantage of these courses is that they can be delivered in two languages (Greek and English) covering in that way a gap that existed in the training of the thousands Greek seamen or even to the work force of onshore installations (industries, terminals, fisheries, power plants etc.).

Environmental Protection Engineering S.A. has created a modern training center in the Industrial Park of Schisto in order to be able to deliver integral courses. A short distance from the Training Center, at the warehouse of EPE S.A. in Skaramagas and in the Antipollution Base in Keratsini, there is the capability of demonstrating and familiarization with the antipollution equipment. An essential component of our training is the participation of trainees in pollution response exercises, during which all the aforementioned theoretical subjects are practiced and applied.

Moreover there is always the possibility of delivering the courses in facilities chosen by the interested party.

All participants at the end of the seminar receive certificates of attendance in accordance with the standards set by the IMO, all the seminar content in printed and electronic format and other useful material that covers all spill response topics.

Soon, Environmental Protection Engineering S.A. will announce the 2011 programme which will allow all interested parties to apply for participation.

Source: Environmental Protection Engineering S.A.



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