A pollution control simulacrum, with the aim of testing the effectiveness of theexisting coordination mechanisms in National Response System, has been carried out by the following organisms: Coast and Sea Department of Sustainability through the Division for the Protection of the Sea, General Direction of Merchant Marine through General Security Branch, Pollution and Maritime Inspection in collaboration with Generalitat Valenciana, City of Valencia, Port Authority of Valencia and other organisms.
This exercise, which has ended with exit on Valencia port waters, is the first that has been done in Spain based on the collision of two ships with consequent sea dumping at the highest level. The overall objective has been evaluating operational cooperation between the different Administrations, Organisms, Institutions and Business involved before a case of accidental pollution in Valencian Community, in accordance with the different contingency plans established in SNR, approved by Royal Decree 1695/2012, from December 21.
In the exercise, which has been based on the collision of two ships with consequent sea dumping, “Y” ro-ro ship remained ungoverned when it was on its way to anchor in Valencia port waters and in a given time addressed multipurpose “X” ship which was already anchored. For purposes of collision, “Y” ships missed several drums with chemical products which felt into the water, and one of the ammonia containers suffered likely breakdowns, with product risk of loss. “X” ship suffered damage in several fuel tanks, beginning to lose fuel oil (IFO 380) at the rate of 25tm per hour, foreseeing that it could be spilled a total of 800tm, and this would reach beaches located in the south of the port.