IOSC 2027 Call for Abstracts
Abstract Submissions until May 31, 2026
As an internationally recognized technical and policy forum, the International Oil Spill Conference (IOSC) invites submissions of abstracts for thematically related paper, poster and special session presentations for the upcoming conference in Savannah, Georgia, from May 17 - 20, 2027. The paper and poster presentations serve as the foundation of IOSC’s technical program, significantly contributing to the comprehensive body of pollution incident knowledge, exchanged among government, industry, and academia. The IOSC legacy is a comprehensive set of proceedings of peer reviewed papers and posters. New for 2027, the opportunity will be available for a limited number of presentations on selected topics that will not require a paper. Selected authors will present their work during scheduled speaker platform or interactive sessions at IOSC.
All accepted papers and poster contributions will be published in the online IOSC Proceedings, a distinguished archive containing more than 3,000 papers and articles presented at the conference since 1969, encompassing a wide range of subjects related to pollution prevention, preparedness, response, and restoration. All materials in the IOSC Proceedings are available on-line, providing extensive visibility for authors’ research. For further information, please visit www.ioscproceedings.com, where you may review over fifty years of valuable publications from previous conferences.
IOSC 2027 Abstract Submission Process
Authors who desire to present at the IOSC must submit an abstract for review through the submission portal. All papers, posters, and special session presentations are chosen from these abstracts, which are double-blind evaluated by volunteer experts in government, industry, and academia. Authors may choose a paper, poster, and/or a special session presentation. Following evaluation, authors of selected abstracts will be invited to prepare technical papers with 20-minute presentations or static posters with interactive discussions, based on their preference and Program Committee approval. Those abstracts selected for special session presentations will work with their Session Chair to design a brief presentation in-line with the chosen session topic. For more information, see the following sections about submissions.
Authors and presenters can submit abstracts through the Submission Portal.
Abstracts (max 400 words, in English ) are due by May 31, 2026, and will be evaluated based on relevance to the conference theme and focus topics, originality, technical content, and clarity. Authors of selected abstracts will be invited in September 2026 to further develop their submissions into papers, posters and presentations in consultation with their designated Session Chair.
IOSC 2027 Theme
All abstracts for papers, posters, and special sessions submitted for consideration should aim to have a connection to the IOSC 2027 theme:
“Managing Complexity, Advancing Capability - Artificial Intelligence, Environmental Pollutants, Cybersecurity Threats, Severe Weather Events, and Aging Infrastructure. How do we embrace these operational complexities and others to pioneer new strategies using groundbreaking technology, while preserving the best practices of the past?”
IOSC 2027 Focus Topics
For IOSC 2027, the Executive and Program Committees have highlighted topics they believe are both relevant and engaging for papers, posters and presentations at the upcoming conference. While abstracts covering any traditional IOSC topic may be accepted, those closely connected to the IOSC 2027 themes and focus topics will be given preference during the evaluation process.
- Pollution Incident Management
- Crisis Communications
- Environmental, Social, Community/Regional Impacts and Corporate Governance
- Spill Response Training and Exercises
- Capacity and Capability Building (including remote areas and high-traffic environments)
- Partnerships and Transboundary Cooperation
- Common Operating Picture Systems and Information Management
- Response Management in Austere Environments (Arctic, remote, etc.)
- Salvage, Marine Firefighting, and Marine Casualty Management
- Derelict and Sunken Vessels/Wrecks
- Hazardous and Noxious Substance Response Management
- Insurance, Finance, Sanctions, Claims, Compensation and Risk Transfer
- Oil Spill Science and Research Outcomes (including low-Sulphur fuels)
- New Technologies, Strategies, Methodologies, Dispersants, and Chemical Products
- Spill Detection, Surveillance, Remote Sensing, GIS, Visualization and Modeling
- Artificial Intelligence, Automation, Autonomous Systems, Robotics, and Decision Support
- Identification of Knowledge Gaps and Research Updates
- Environmental Damage Assessments, Recovery Endpoints, and Post-Spill Monitoring
- Natural Resources & Wildlife Management Restoration and Recovery
- Public, Community, and Tribal Engagement
- Responder Human Elements: Recruitment, Retention, Leadership, Team Building, Conflict Resolution, Safety, Health & Well-Being
- Economic Loss Modeling and Forecasting for Spill Scenarios
- Cybersecurity and Critical Infrastructure Risks & Vulnerabilities in Pollution Incidents
- Spill Risks of Aging Infrastructure and Late-Life Assets
- Extreme Weather Events, Compounding Hazards, and Geopolitical Conflict Scenarios
- Preparedness and Response to Emerging Fuels and Alternative Energy Systems (including ammonia, batteries, methanol, hydrogen, etc.)
- Preparedness and Response to Offshore Energy Infrastructure Incidents
- Regulatory Frameworks & Compliance including New Energy Types
- Microplastics, Marine Litter, and Plastic Pollution (including land- and ship-sourced)
- Oil and Chemical Transportation Safety & Incident Response: Environmental and Community Impacts, including Rail, Inland Waterways and Pipelines
Papers
The paper sessions allow invited authors to submit high quality technical work for presentation and publication, with the purpose of advancing global oil spill preparedness, response, and research. The process ensures scientific rigor, practical relevance, and broad representation from government, industry, academia, and NGOs, aligning with IOSC’s longstanding mission to improve spill prevention and response worldwide. All papers will be archived online in the IOSC Proceedings for future reference.
Posters
Posters allow invited participants to display their work in a format, which is ideal for sharing ideas that are brief, focus on specific topics, or are best presented visually, broadening IOSC's range of discussions. Abstracts for posters can address any IOSC-related focus topic, and authors will have a dedicated session to present. At least one author must register for the conference to be present for discussion of their poster during the session. All posters will be archived online in the IOSC Proceedings for future reference.
Conference posters should cover: purpose and goals, background and motivation, key assumptions (if applicable), a summary of results or expected contributions, and sources for further information—such as relevant links, author contact details, and citations.
Posters intended as product advertisements or commercial promotions are likely to be rejected by the conference committee.
Special Sessions
A limited number of abstracts will be reviewed for inclusion in Special Sessions, which are designed to share critical knowledge and learnings on the topics that would typically not warrant a comprehensive paper, but are nevertheless important for the response community. Examples of the topics would include, but not be limited to key lessons learned from spill incidents (recent and historic), implementation of Artificial Intelligence in emergency preparedness and response, Innovations during field response, etc. The selected presenters will be given an opportunity to share their experiences, perspectives, and recommendations in a brief presentation in one of the Special Sessions. The titles of these Special Sessions and their exact format will be decided once the Call for Abstracts period closes.