This publication summarizes the results of the Regional Consultative Workshop on the Recovery of Oil Spill Clean-up Costs and Pollution Damage Claims which was jointly organized by the Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) of Singapore and the GEF/UNDP/IMO Regional Programme for the Prevention and Management of Marine Pollution in the East Asian Seas. The workshop followed a successful two-day conference organized by the MPA, Singapore, on 1-2 September 1999, entitled “International Oil Pollution Conference and Exhibition 99” (IOPCE 99). The workshop was designed to provide senior officials from countries of the East Asian Seas region an opportunity to discuss issues and priorities with regard to implementation of the Civil Liability and Compensation (CLC) Convention and the Fund Convention (FUND). Representatives from nine countries of the East Asian Seas region attended the IOPCE ‘99 and workshop. Four resource persons participated in the workshop, representing the International Oil Pollution Compensation Funds (IOPC Funds), the International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation Ltd. (ITOPF), the Faculty of Law, National University of Singapore, and the MPA, Singapore.

This publication presents the summary of the Proceedings of the International Conference on Challenges and Opportunities in Managing Pollution in the East Asian Seas, held at the Manila Diamond Hotel, Philippines, from 22-24 March 1999. It presents the experiences, lessons learned and achievements of the Regional Programme and those of other national/regional/international initiatives in the abatement and management of marine pollution with special reference to the East Asian Seas region. It discusses the working models and innovate management mechanism developed for wider replication and extension. It contains around 50 papers presented in five sessions including Integrated Management of Marine Pollution, Environmental Investments, International Conventions, Application of Science and Technology, and Stakeholders Participation.

This publication summarizes the results of the Second Technical Workshop of the Regional Network for Marine Pollution and Information Management, held on 9-10 November 1997 at the Burapha University, Bangsaen, Chonburi, Thailand. The workshop was attended by 23 representatives from nine East Asian country, and the IMO Programme Development and Management Office, Manila. The objectives of the workshop were (1) to follow through the first workshop of the MPMIM network held on May 1996; (2) to enable participants from various countries in the region to share experiences on marine pollution monitoring as applied to ICM and related sites; (3) to discuss the strategies and mechanisms used to develop, initiate and sustain marine pollution monitoring programs at ICM sites and the problems encountered; and (4) to examine the purposes and benefits of the marine pollution monitoring and information management network, the types of and the requirements for membership and the mechanisms to operate the network. The workshop was facilitated by the Network Coordinator and staff of the IMO Programme Development and Management Office.

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the Directorate General Sea Communication (DGSC) of Indonesia jointly implemented a National Workshop on Implementation of MARPOL 73/78: Cost-Effective Shore Reception Facilities, from 14 to 15 January 1998. The workshop was held at the Millennium Sirih Hotel, Jakarta. Financial support for the workshop was provided by the Government of Norway. More than 70 participants from the public and private sectors of Indonesia attended. The workshop was co-chaired by Captain Henky Lumentah, DGSC, and Mr. Adrian Ross, IMO Manila.

The Regional Workshop on Partnerships in the Application of Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) was held in Burapha University, Bangsaen, Chonburi, Thailand, from 12 to 14 November 1997. The workshop extended the experience gained and lessons learned from integrated coastal management (ICM) demonstration projects in Batangas Bay, Philippines and Xiamen, People’s Republic of China, promoted regional networking of local governments operating ICM programs, and fostered partnerships among organizations implementing ICM programs.

The workshop was organized by the Global Environment Facility (GEF)/United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)/International Maritime Organization (IMO) Regional Programme for the Prevention and Management of Marine Pollution in the East Asian Seas (MPP-EAS), based in the Philippines, in collaboration with Burapha University. The meeting was sponsored by the MPP-EAS. About eight local governments, local institutions and government agencies co-hosted the workshop. The workshop was attended by around 120 participants and observers from the East Asian Seas Region including Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan, People’s Republic of China, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam, consisting primarily of government officials, university professors and individuals from the private sector. There were also representatives from the Wetlands International Asia-Pacific; IUCN (the World Conservation Union); the International Oceanographic Commission; the Food and Agriculture Organization; and coastal resource management projects in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Republic of Korea and Thailand.