Azerbaijan, OSPRI strengthen oil spill response cooperation

The State Maritime and Port Agency (SMPA) held a meeting with representatives of the Oil Spill Preparedness Regional Initiative (OSPRI).

During the meeting, Farid Murtuzov, Head of the Agency’s Marine Environmental Protection Department, outlined the measures being implemented to combat potential oil spills in Azerbaijan’s section of the Caspian Sea.

It was noted that the Agency is currently taking steps to fulfill its obligations under the 1973 International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) and the Protocol on Regional Preparedness, Response and Cooperation in Combating Oil Pollution Incidents, part of the Framework Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Caspian Sea.

OSPRI representatives positively assessed the SMPA’s efforts and discussed opportunities for future bilateral cooperation.

For reference, OSPRI was established by a consortium of oil companies—including bp, Chevron, Eni, ExxonMobil, KMG, NCOC, Shell, and TotalEnergies—to promote reliable, integrated, and sustainable oil spill response capabilities in the Caspian Sea, Black Sea, and Central Eurasia region.