Oil & Shipping Industries are today the mainstay for modern post-industrial revolution society. Whilst Oil fuels the global economic growth, the Shipping industry is the lifeblood of the world economy carrying 90% of the global trade. However Climate Change & Environmental Disaster mitigation are attendant issues that have now become emergent with each passing day in today's world. Though Zero Incident Policies & Sustainable work practices are standard norm for these industries globally, yet disasters (both past & recent ones) in the marine ecosystem & the increasing amount of uncertainty for similar incidents remind us of the fragility of our environment following any incident. Consequences of Oil Spill incidents are both disastrous & humongous.
Researches document that Petroleum Toxicity, Oxygen Depletion & Use of Dispersants cause death, deformities & mutation in a wide variety of Marine Species. The Marine ecology including deep-sea environment, corals, the chemistry of the sea & ocean floor also devastated. On Land though an Oil Spill is comparatively containable than those on Sea, yet they cause catastrophic damage to human life & surrounding environment.
The Massive Public Outcry, Intense Media Attention, Political Uproar & Legal Implications that follow the disaster cause colossal monetary & reputation losses for organizations and the industry at large. Response, Mitigation, Clean-up & Restoration from an Oil Spill Disaster are extremely challenging and costly. It takes decades & billions of dollars despite which some species and their generations may sadly never recover.
One of the central goals of the Oil Spill India (OSI) Conference, conceptualized and founded in 2011 as an industry led global forum jointly in association with the Indian Coast Guard - The Central Coordinating Authority for combating oil spills in Indian waters & India's flagship Oil Producer The Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd (ONGC), was to partake with global stakeholders & reaffirm the Industry's commitment for the protection of the Environment; promoting responsible cultures to be incorporated at all levels, from the small communities where the industry operates and throughout their global businesses.
Over the past 6 years & 4 editions, OSI- the only conference of its type held in India & one of the top forums in the world, has continually evolved, meeting the changing needs and interests of the global community that it serves.
The 2018 edition of OSI will be no exception & will continue to build upon it's past success, providing a forum on stakeholders commitment for Environmental Sustainability, Oil Spill Preparedness & Prevention, the need for Synergy in Oil Spill Response & Excellence in Restoration efforts.
