Our History
From the creation of the Global Initiative programme in 1996, to the current regional project.
Establishment of the Global Initiative
Launched in 1996, the Global Initiative (GI) is an umbrella programme under which governments, through the International Maritime Organization (IMO), and the industry, through Ipieca, work together to assist countries in developing national structures and capability for spill preparedness and response.
The GI programme is jointly led by the IMO and Ipieca, with strong participation from the ITOPF, industry-funded Tier 3 oil spill centres (strategically sited response centres that hold large quantities of specialized resources, held in readiness to respond to a spill), as well as the leveraged contributions of the industry members themselves.
The model for GI activity is based upon two levels:
Level 1 programme
Sustainable base-level programme to build or maintain preparedness on a global scale.
Level 2 programme
Activities are implemented in conjunction with the IMO, and other partners, using a planned, budgeted process, with focus on national and regional activities; autonomous funding is provided by local industry and key international partners.
Launch of GI SEA
The Global Initiative for Southeast Asia (GI SEA) Project was launched in March 2013 in Jakarta, Indonesia.
In March 2007, the-then ipieca OSWG (Oil Spill Working Group) commissioned a study to identify preparedness gaps in Southeast Asia. This study led to the development of an action plan for the implementation of a GI-type programme in the region. The implementation was stalled due to a number of issues, and only revived in April 2010 when the OSWG agreed to establish a 'Level 1' programme in the region.
On February 2011, at an OSWG meeting in Bangkok, members agreed to adopt a more proactive approach to the Southeast Asia region and establish a 'Level 2' programme. Following a meeting in January 2012, the OSWG agreed to implement a GI regional project in Southeast Asia.
It was envisioned that GI SEA would be launched in two phases, with initial focus on countries where there are significant oil and gas activities, and supported by the wider ipieca Membership; subsequently, a decision was made to include all 10 (now 11) member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in its remit.
A joint partnership between the IMO and Ipieca
Supported by our industry members
