Source: IMO

IMO is supporting international efforts to assist Peru in oil spill response, following an oil spill which occurred north of Lima on 15 January.

The Government of Peru has declared an environment emergency. The crude oil spill – estimated to be in the magnitude of 1000 m3 – affected several tens of kilometres of shoreline, local wildlife, fisheries and tourism related activities. A government-led clean-up effort is under way, including an oiled wildlife response.

Following a request for technical assistance from the Government of Peru, IMO has deployed an oil spill response expert to Lima. He will remain in Peru for two weeks and support the Government of Peru by providing technical advice on the ongoing oil spill response and national contingency planning.

The expert will join the international efforts of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)-led Joint Environment Unit to respond and address the impacts of the spill.

The IMO Secretariat is also supporting the response, by providing technical backstopping to the IMO expert in the field. The IMO Secretariat has been maintaining close liaison with the affected country and technical partners throughout in order to provide support and assistance, as required.