Oil spill exercise aids eco safeguarding

Poole Harbour Commissioners’ (PHC) virtual oil spill simulation was facilitated by its contracted oil spill response partners Adler & Allan. PHC carries out an emergency exercise every three years and this year’s scenario involved an articulated lorry recently disembarked from a ferry, colliding with a 3,000l waste oil bulk storage tank causing waste oil to spread over the quay and head towards the water.

Captain Brian Murphy, Harbour Master said: “Our Oil Spill Response Plan sets out the contingency arrangements for responding to an actual or threatened oil pollution incident within Poole Harbour.

“These exercises are vitally important in ensuring that our highly trained personnel are prepared to deal with such unfortunate circumstances professionally and swiftly, helping us to minimise any risk to health, wildlife, the environment and to ensure business continuity.”

As part of the Harbour Commissioner’s response to the practical element of the exercise, several booms were deployed from ro-ro three. In the event of a real oil spill situation, these booms would prevent any oil from flowing into environmentally sensitive areas. A skimmer was also used to demonstrate how the oil would be captured.

Simulated exercises help PHC gain experience, be more prepared and improve its processes.

PHC works in collaboration with more than 15 organisations, including the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), Environment Agency, Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole Council (BCP) and Perenco to carry out these exercises.