On the 18th and 19th of October, the municipality of Vila Real de Santo António will host a nationwide exercise to combat sea pollution, promoted by the National Maritime Authority's Sea Pollution Combat Service.
The exercise will take place at the port and marina of Vila Real de Santo António and at Praia de Monte Gordo and will consist of two phases, based on a serial program of simulated events.
The initiative counts on the presence of the Secretary of State for National Defense and Fisheries, Marcos Perestrello and José Apolinário, as well as the Director General of the Maritime Authority, Vice Admiral Luís Sousa Pereira, and the Deputy Director General of the Maritime Authority, Comodoro Ventura Soares, among other entities.
The exercise will involve around 300 operators and will rely on various equipment, including ships and vessels to combat sea pollution, air resources capable of identifying and tracking the pollutant; recuperators, barriers, portable tanks and light beach cleaning equipment; heavy and light vehicles, tractors and personal protective equipment.
On the 18th of October, the first phase of the event, a seminar will be held with the theme "The Preservation of the Marine Environment", which will address issues related to maritime pollution, as well as the exercise to combat sea pollution, that will take place the next day.
This seminar will take place at Centro Cultural António Aleixo, from 14:30 pm, and will be open to the general public.
On the 19th of October, Thursday, the exercise to combat pollution will take place at the Marina and Port of Vila Real de Santo António and at Praia de Monte Gordo.
In this action, resulting from the simulation of a maritime pollution incident, various means will be engaged, in different scenarios, on land and at sea.
The Maritime Authority is counting on this exercise with the support of the Navy, Vila Real de Santo António City Council, the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA), the Portuguese Air Force, the Hydrographic Institute, the National Civil Protection Authority – District Relief Operations Command Faro, of Associação Naval do Guadiana, Sociedade Salvamento y Seguridad Marítima (SASEMAR), SVITZER Portugal, Tekever Group, University of Algarve, Zoomarine, Docapesca, Rebonave and Project MARPOCS.
Participating for the first time in this exercise, the Royal Moroccan Navy, which deploys a patrol vessel to Portugal, which will participate in the scenario offshore.
Scenarios and exercise area
In the Atlantic Polex.PT 2017 exercise, the containment and collection of 3000 cubic meters of fuel oil is simulated, resulting from a spill caused by a collision between two ships, a freighter and an oil tanker.
The spilled pollutant will end up heading to the port of Vila Real de Santo António (VRSA), affecting it, as well as the beach line up to Monte Gordo.
At the same time, an accident of a fishing boat in the port of VRSA is also simulated, resulting in the spillage of 5000 liters of diesel.
In addition to the spills, and the consequent operations to combat pollution and the dumping of animals, it will also be necessary to proceed with the rescue of shipwrecked and evacuation of the wounded.
Click here for all information regarding the seminar and the entire exercise.
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