Nearly eight dozen operational workers from different entities participated today in the exercise to combat Sea Pollution by Hydrocarbons that took place in Quarteira, in the Docapesca area and on the beach located to the west of this infrastructure.
The exercise, which was conducted by the National Maritime Authority (AMN), through the Southern Maritime Department, aimed at “the training, preparation, organization and performance assessment of the intervention teams of the Southern Maritime Department/Southern Maritime Zone Command and of the Port Authority of Faro in response to pollution incidents, as well as training interaction with other responsible authorities and entities in their functional and jurisdictional areas as well as their involvement in the regional contingency plan».
In all, three scenarios were tested. One of them was linked to the «illegal washing of holds by an oil tanker passing through the Algarve coast, in which the spilled oil slick (500 liters of crude) through the pollutant's drift, reaches the coast in the beach area to the west of Docapesca of Quarteira, causing the contamination of the beach and the hurling of marine animals», according to AMN.
It was also simulated «an accident with a fishing vessel undergoing maintenance on the ramp of the shipyards located in the Docapesca of Quarteira, causing 200 liters of hydraulic oil to spill onto the ramp and run into the water», as well as the «breakage of a hose during the refueling of a vessel near the refueling station at Docapesca in Quarteira, causing the spill of 100 liters of diesel on the pier and water near the refueling station».
In addition to the organizing body, the Chamber of Loulé, the Parish Council of Quarteira, Docapesca, the National Civil Protection Authority (ANPC), the GNR, the Quarteira Fishermen Association (Quarpesca) and Zoomarine took part in the simulation. The University of Algarve – Faculty of Science and Technology of the University of Algarve were also invited to participate as observers.
O Sul Informação followed the exercise and leaves you the best images of the day.
Photos: Helder Santos|Sul Informação
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