An accidental spill of approximately 500 liters of fuel oil into the sea following the rupture of a loading line during refueling operations on the tanker vessel "Zakynthos": this was the scenario encountered during the Pollex exercise, coordinated by the Cagliari Port Authority. The aim of the exercise was to test the operational readiness and coordination of the bodies responsible for protecting the marine and coastal environment.
The activity took place in the Sarlux oil terminal in Sarroch, at pier P5.
The hypothesized scenario allowed us to verify the effectiveness of local and national operational plans for emergency response to pollution, including: the Local Operational Plan (POL) of the Cagliari maritime district; the coordination plan of the Cagliari Maritime Directorate; and the national emergency response plan for the defense of the sea and coasts from pollution by hydrocarbons and hazardous and harmful substances.
The exercise employed specialized Coast Guard vessels, units from the Guardia di Finanza, the Carabinieri, and the Fire Brigade, as well as personnel and equipment from the regional Civil Protection Department, the ARPAS ( National Environmental Protection Agency), the Sarlux company, and the port's chemical company. An anti-pollution vessel from the Castalia consortium, contracted by the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security, also intervened.
equipped with floating containment booms and oleophilic skimmers for product recovery operations at sea.
The activities allowed us to test the integrated response capacity of the anti-pollution system, from the containment and collection phase of the spilled product to the recovery and correct disposal of the residues, as well as the communication and safety procedures towards the population and the vessels at sea.
(Unioneonline)