Bio
Description of professional experience
MSc. Ojars Gerke is an environmental consultant, project manager and environmental expert with 17 years of national and international experience in the following fields:
- oil and chemical spill response at sea,
- environmental impact assessment of maritime activities,
- environmental management systems of shipping companies,
- development and construction of port activities,
- dredging operations of sea ports,
- coast guard service and maritime assistance service.
During his professional carrier he has developed the following expertise:
- During 2005-2016 being responsible for oil spill response operations at the Latvian Coast Guard Service has performed as On-scene coordinator in 5 vessel salvage operations (m/v Golden Sky, m/v Mona Lisa, m/v Romanka, m/v Agris, m/v Kate);
- During 2006-2011 contracted by private companies as a project manager and project deputy manager for several projects, e.g. development of new port infrastructure in Riga Free Port; construction of coastal protection structures on the Baltic Sea against erosion; remediation of former Soviet Naval base in the port of Liepaja polluted by oil.
- During 1998-2004 working as the Head of Marine Environment Division at the Ministry of Environment carried out international oil spill response equipment supply projects (PHARE) in cooperation with Danish Environment Protection Agency (DEPA), Finnish Environment Institute and Belgium Maritime Mathematical Modelling Unit (MUMM) and prepared the Latvian National oil and chemical contingency plan.
- Experience in implementation, monitoring and upgrading of port environment management systems regarding oil and chemical spill response organisation in the Latvian ports, elaboration and approval of oil contingency plans on national level, port level and oil facility level.
- Wide experience in participation at world (IMO), regional (HELCOM) and European (EMSA) level maritime shipping events, covering oil spill response cooperation (OPRC).
- Experience in international missions to Ukraine (environmental impact assessment of shipping disaster in the Kerch Strait) and Georgia (assistance on oil response matters), practice in Russia (study on migration patterns of salmon).
List of publications, seminr
- Assessment of environmental damage caused by the Soviet Navy in Latvia, Conference publication, EU EPP Group, Riga, 2012;
- Oil pollution in waters of Latvia, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2011
- International marine environment protection seminar, LVN/US EUCOM publications, Riga, 2010;
- Transboundary pollution accident on river Daugava, publication of the 8th international conference on industrial accidents, Paris, 2009;
- International oil spill response exercise Balex Delta 2009, MoD studio “Tevijas sargs”, Riga, 2009;
- Oil Spill Response in the Latvian Navy, monthly edition of the MoD “Tevijas sargs”, Riga 2007
- Influence of dredging activities on marine biological resources, annual edition of Latvian Fisheries Institute, Riga, 2002;
- Influence of dredging activities on marine biological resources, annual edition of Latvian Fisheries Institute, Riga, 2001
- A New Cement Factory in the Czech Republic, university edition, Amsterdam, 1995.