The symposium covered a broad range of research interests in the monitoring, modeling, ecotoxicology study and remediation techniques on oil spills. More than 50 scientists convened to hear updates on the latest breakthroughs in this field. Sixteen of the Chinese and international well-known scientists delivered their keynote addresses, including Prof. Chuanlun Zhang from Tongji University, Ningyi Zhou from Wuhan Institute of Virology, CAS, Prof. Mutai Bao from Ocean University of China, Prof. Zongze Shao from the Third Institute of Oceanography, State Oceanic administration, China, Prof. Danling Tang from South china Sea Institute of Oceanology, CAS, Prof. Dubravko Justic, Prof. Haosheng Huang and Prof. Eurico J. D’Sa from Louisiana State University (USA), Prof. James Gordon Mitchell from Flinders University (Australia), Prof. Andrew Stephen Ball from RMIT University (Australia), and Prof. Chris Battershill from University of Waikato (New Zealand) etc. The rest of the attendee scientists displayed their posters in the poster sessions to present and discuss their research with others working on similar projects.

The symposium was an important opportunity to summarize the most updated scientific knowledge about monitoring oil spills by in situ and remote sensors, modeling and risk assessment, the response of ecosystem to oil spills, and the new techniques for the remediation of oil spills. This symposium provided an efficient and friendly platform for academic exchange among experts from different countries and played an active role in promoting the study on the oil spills in China.