IG Delegation to CDSA, Jointly Promoting the SPRO Agreement(Sample) Version 2.0

BEIJING, November 24, 2025 – A delegation from the International Group of P&I Clubs (IG), led by Mr. Tony Paulson, Chairman of the Vessel Pollution Response Committee, visited the China Diving and Salvage Association (CDSA) for a working meeting. The discussion centered on feedback, implementation strategies, and potential refinements for the IG-CDSA SPRO Agreement (Sample) launched in July.

The IG delegation included Ms. Sue Watkins, Chairman of the Ship Emergency Response Committee; Ms. Daisy Roche, Senior Manager of Secretariat; and Mr. Greg Yang, Director of Hai Tong & Partners. They were welcomed by CDSA President Dr. Biwu Chen, along with other  CDSA representatives-Zhengqiang Wang, Director of Department for Self-Regulation and Regulatory Affairs and Tony Huang, International Cooperation Advisor of CDSA. The meeting was chaired by Ms. Jessica Dong, Deputy Director of Department for International Cooperation and Maritime Affairs.

In his opening remarks, President Chen extended a warm welcome to the IG delegates. He affirmed the significant achievements of the longstanding partnership between CDSA and IG and emphasized the mutual commitment to deepening cooperation for even greater outcomes.

Mr. Paulson expressed his pleasure at returning to China to discuss ship pollution prevention. He highlighted the fundamental importance of the IG-CDSA partnership for supporting IG members' trading in China and stressed the need for the IG-CDSA SPRO Agreement (Sample) to gain broader recognition and application across Chinese ports.

During the meeting, Deputy Director Ms. Dong presented a report on  the feedback that CDSA has received since the IG-CDSA SPRO Agreement (Sample) was circulated in July. Ms. Roche provided detailed responses on behalf of the IG Secretariat. The parties engaged in constructive discussions on several clauses and reached a consensus on key points.

Building on the progress made, both sides agreed to proceed with revising and enhancing the current Agreement(Sample). The work will pave the way for a future "2.0" version of the agreement, aiming to establish an Agreement(Sample) that balances the interests of all stakeholders, including shipowners, P&I Clubs, SPROs, and local authorities.