For Immediate Release
May 28, 2013

NEIA’s Oil Spill Response Technology Seminars brings businesses from Norway and Newfoundland & Labrador together to share the latest in best practices and equipment

ST. JOHN’S, NL – On May 27th and 28th, in partnership with the Norwegian Oil Spill Control Association (NOSCA) and Innovation Norway, the Newfoundland and Labrador Environmental Industry Association (NEIA) held the Oil Spill Response Technology Seminar – a conference aimed at building new international business relationships and sharing the latest in environmental response products.

“NEIA exists to grow and strengthen the environmental sector in Newfoundland and Labrador,” explained Ted Lomond, Executive Director of NEIA. “International business will play a vital role in the continued growth of the sector. Our Oil Spill Response Technology Seminar was an important first step in exploring those opportunities for a segment of the environmental sector that is critical to our province’s economy and that protects our ocean resources.”

The seminar featured a series of presentations from Norwegian and local firms, on topics exploring technologies ranging from oil spill detection, to mechanical recovery, to response planning, to operating in arctic and ice conditions. Attendees also had the opportunity to see some of those technologies up-close during their site visits to Canadian Coast Guard and ECRC facilities.

The second day of the seminar focused on live product demonstrations which took place at the Marine Institute’s Marine Base in Holyrood. Oil spill response equipment – including inshore booms, skimmers, and harbour busters – were deployed in response exercises conducted with the help of the Canadian Coast Guard.

Lomond says that the advancement of local oil spill response capabilities is not just about the environment or even the oil and gas sector.

“The ocean is a shared resource relied upon by many sectors of our province’s economy, from fisheries to aquaculture to tourism,” said Lomond. “The growth of Newfoundland and Labrador’s capacity in environmental technologies and processes allows for the continued development of the oil and gas sector – while protecting the valuable resources required for our other industries to flourish.”

The Oil Spill Response Technology Seminar was organized with support from the Canadian Coast Guard, ECRC, Nord Marine, the Marine Institute, and the Town of Holyrood.

NEIA is a not-for-profit association of businesses that promotes the growth and development of the environmental industry in this province. It is Newfoundland and Labrador’s premier resource for the industry offering a diverse range of expert knowledge and services in the business of mitigating and minimizing environmental damage for the protection and enhancement of the environment for present and future generations. NEIA has over 140 members.

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