Spill Alert
Spill Alert is the quarterly newsletter produced by the UK Spill Association. Previous editions of Spill Alert are available to download, see below. If you would like to regularly receive the Spill Alert newsletter when it is published in pdf format, please complete the form below.
Issue 18
Dec 2017
SpillAlert 18 features Interspill 2018, the triennial European Oil Spill Conference & Exhibition, which is hosted by UKSpill at Excel, London in March 2018. UKSpill is launching Interspill Plus, to make Interspill both a Marine and On Land Spill event. Register now at www.Interspillevent.com
Issue 17
May 2017
This issue reflects UKSpill as an organisation, its members, its partners, and the environment they work in. It is absolutely clear that world of Oil Spill has materially shifted, 7 years on from the Gulf of Mexico, 10 years since Buncefield, and 15 years since Prestige.
Issue 16
September 2016
This issue focusses on the UKSpill Awards 16, and those involved. It also outlines the international news conserning the spill industry.
Issue 15
September 2015
A review of the Interspill 2015 event in Amsterdam and investigating the connections between members.
Issue 14
March 2015
This issue is a preview of Interspill 2015 event in Amsterdam and also looas at the rising influence of aerial surveillance and how it will affect oil-spill cleanup in the future.
Issue 13
April 2014
This issue has Events as its main theme - over the next 12 months we have a series of significant events taking place in the UK and overseas. For UKSpill, its 10th anniversary in 2014 generated an idea to launch its own event, UKSpill2014, which will be previewed in this issue. In addition, following the success of Interspill co located alongside Oceanology International, a new concept of a spill zone, Spillex, was launched in March by Reed.
Issue 12
October 2013
The concern about risk posed by the new generations of ‘mega’ cruise and container ships was illustrated vividly last year with the grounding of Costa Concordia in Italy.
In this issue we will look at Pollution Prevention, and the overlap between the salvage industry and the spill industry.
Issue 11
June 2013
The theme of this issue, Future Spill, has to be a reflection of the fact that in 2012, serious oil spills in the marine environment were effectively nil, on the basis of spills of more than 7 tons. ITOPF’s latest report published this achievement, and they have contributed their analysis and view on this to SpillAlert.
The sharp reduction in marine accidents reflects substantial work in prevention via changes in laws, conventions, training, ship construction, just to name a few. In 1998, the Exxon Valdez spill occurred, political pressure resulted in actions leading to adoption of double hull tankers, but it will be 2015 before that action is complete.
Issue 10a
Spillcon Edition - March 2013
A special edition produced for the SpillCon Conference in Cairns Convention Centre in Queensland, Australia. The special issue included a pullout that had details of the 10 UKSpill members who exhibited at the show, almost a third of the total exhibitors at this triennial event.
A clear pattern emerged at Interspill this year - the growth sector amongst exhibitors was electronic detection of spills, using surveillance and monitoring, by satellite, by plane and on the surface. This has been led by satellite surveillance , run by EMSA, the new Director gives SpillAlert his view on the coming year. Whilst satellite is a "tier 3" type approach,"tier 1 and 2" are provided by growing use of aircraft, and also detection from aboard ships. This issue will focus on these technologies to improve our vigilance, and consequently the ability to respond faster and reduce the spill risk.
The main article will provides overview of satellite surveillance, and EMSA's key role, followed in future issues by a pan European series of papers on aerial detection, andsurface technologies.
Issue 10 - November 2012
A clear pattern emerged at Interspill this year - the growth sector amongst exhibitors was electronic detection of spills, using surveillance and monitoring, by satellite, by plane and on the surface. This has been led by satellite surveillance , run by EMSA, the new Director gives SpillAlert his view on the coming year. Whilst satellite is a "tier 3" type approach,"tier 1 and 2" are provided by growing use of aircraft, and also detection from aboard ships. This issue will focus on these technologies to improve our vigilance, and consequently the ability to respond faster and reduce the spill risk.
The main article will provides overview of satellite surveillance, and EMSA's key role, followed in future issues by a pan European series of papers on aerial detection, andsurface technologies.
Issue 9 - May 2012
Restoration: The unseen clean-up efforts in the Gulf of Mexico and New Zealand
This issue will look back at the highlights and focus on trends emerging from both conferences and exhibition, for the industry it is time to start planning for 2015, and the Interspill Steering Committee has met to review the 2012 event, and is setting a course for 2015, a venue in Europe will be announced late in early 2013.
Download Spill Alert Issue 9 here
Videos from this issue
BP in the Gulf of Mexico video
More articles from this issue
Shipping threatens to trouble Baltic waters
MCA Chief Executive, Admiral Sir Alan Massey, keynote speaker at INTERSPILL 2012
Issue 8 - February 2012
THE INTERSPILL EDITION
A preview of this multifaceted event that brings together experts and leaders of the spill industry to share ideas and debate issues of the moment. During this 3-day event, visitors will have the chance to access the international exhibition, free to attend, as well as benefit from a conference programme and educational sessions that will cover all the developments and best practices in the spill industry.
Exhibition: Over 90 exhibitors from around the world will showcase state-of-the-art equipment and services to prevent and act on oil spillage
Conference: in a time when oil spill has covered the world's headlines, sharing of best practices and knowledge is a priority for anyone involved in this industry. The conference at Interspill will address all major themes and challenges
Issue 7 - September 2011
RESPONSE & RESPONDERS
This issue of SpillAlert is focussed on Response and Responders, which proved to be a sprawling subject covering everything, in an environment where sensitivity over oil spills is still high after the Macondo incident last year.
Shell has had a spill in the North Sea as this is being written, and the media, the BBC in this case, were asking questions such as: How does it compare with the Gulf of Mexico, what environmental effect might it have, and can we believe what anyone says?
Issue 6 - May 2011
OIL ON ICE - A BURNING ISSUE
Whilst the industry and public have offshore blowouts clearly in mind after last year's spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the need for new sources of oil has focussed on the potential that exists in the Arctic. This has many issues to confront, not only environmental but political and technical.
Issue 5 - January 2011
THE CONFERENCE AND EXHIBITION ISSUE
Conferences and exhibitions are an opportunity for networking, teambuilding, training, education and the best place to source services and equipment.
Everybody and everything you need - together.
Issue 4 - August 2010
This issue of SpillAlert is focussed on the Inland Spill, what it is, how it is dealt with and what are the key issues. In addition to our normal News we will also look at the Deepwater Horizon incident, but given the enormous media attention take a look at how the media is affecting the oil spill.
A new feature for this issue is the Guest Editorial, the first is by John Holmes, former General Manager with Briggs Environmental, who is considering the role of the Responder and how it has changed and what the future holds.
Issue 3 - April 2010
This issue features a number of birthdays, in particular,the adoption of the IMO Convention, OPRC in 1990, which has done much to deliver the reduction of major marine oil spills to the lowest level for 30 years. The issue features the success of this convention, with articles from ITOPF and commentary.
This birthday is also the reason for UKSpill holding its annual Marine Spill Seminar at IMO on 14-15 June, focussed on what has been achieved by OPRC and what can be done in future.
Issue 2 - December 2009
This second issue focuses on the sensitivity of the environment to pollution risks, reflecting a presentation from the Environment Manager of the British Antarctic Survey at a UKSpill seminar. The issue also looks at the Timor Sea well blowout and impact on tropical waters, as well as more conventional spills. The company profile is Darcy, established for over 75 years, and a leader in the UK in providing spill response equipment. The Long Article features IPIECA, and 22 years working to improve global oil spill preparedness.
Issue 1 - Summer 2009
The first issue of SpillAlert featured the visit by the Interspill Conference and Exhibition to Marseille in summer 2009, with a pictorial review of a successful event. The issue also saw the first Long Article on the Fire Service Environment Manual, and its application to oil spills, the RAW Report, a challenging feature on the inland spill industry, and a wide range of news about people and places.
