This is the first drill based around the collision of two vessels with oil dumping
Two tugs from the Boluda Towage and Salvage fleet based in Valencia, the “VB Fury” and “VB Conqueridor”, participated in Valencia’s first pollution response drill regarding vessel collision with major marine oil spillage.
The object of the exercise, carried out in Valencia port waters, was to test the effectiveness of existing national response system (SNR) pollution response coordination mechanisms.
In the exercise there was a ship collision scenario involving two ships. Ro-ro vessel “Y” loses control while coming in to dock in the port of Valencia and collides with multipurpose vessel “X”. As a result of the collision, vessel “Y” loses several chemical drums into the water and one of the ammonia containers suffers possible damages, with risk of spillage. Vessel “X” suffers damage to several fuel tanks, beginning to dump oil, with an estimated 800 ton spill potentially extending as far as beaches located south of the port.
The “VB Fury” and “VB Conqueridor” tugs were tasked by the Valencia port authority’s emergency control centre (CCE-APV) with towing 150 metres of spill containment barrier that was stored in containers at the end of the east dock.
The exercise was successful, neutralizing and recovering the spilled oil in accordance with the CCE-APV’s instructions.
Valencia port mooring services, as well as the Sasemar tug Sar Mesana, Pollux’s Salvamar and the helicopter Helimer 203 all provided essential and outstanding support during the exercise.
The drill was organized by Valencia port authority with the participation of the Directorate General of Coast and Sea Sustainability, the Directorate General of the Merchant Navy, the Generalitat Valenciana, Valencia City Council, the Regional Government, the national police force and Seprona (nature protection service), the Customs Surveillance Service, the Military Emergency Unit and the Spanish Red Cross.
