EXERCISE IN THE FIGHT AGAINST ACCIDENTAL POLLUTION BY HYDROCARBON IN THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT

Sécurité maritime Tuesday 28 March 2023

As part of a training course on "The Fight against Accidental Oil Pollution at Sea and on the Coast, " which was held since 10 October, at the Regional Academy of Sciences and Techniques of the Sea (ARSTM), learners conducted a practical exercise on 13 October 2022, on the equipment site of the Abidjan Port Authority.

This exercise, which took place under the direction and supervision of experts from the Center for Documentation, Research and Experimentation (CEDRE) on accidental water pollution, had as main goal to confront the theoretical knowledge with the reality of the field. The scenario consisted of using a floating boom to contain an oil slick spilled in water, in order to prevent it from spreading and reaching the shoreline.

This simulation had a double benefit for the learners who not only familiarized themselves with the oil pollution control equipment, but also learned to master the three main steps of such an operation, namely containment, extraction and recovery.

For the purpose of the exercise, three teams were formed. The first team was responsible for containing the fuel slick by surrounding it with a rigid containment boom (containment). The second set up the pumping equipment to extract the fuel from the water (extraction) while the third set up the storage device to recover the polluting product in a tank placed on the bank (recovery).

Commander AMANI Alexis, representing the Port Authority, welcomed the initiative of such a practical exercise, and urged the learners to make the most of it to have the appropriate reaction on the ground in case of occurrence of a similar accident.

It should be recalled that this training initiated by the Interregional Maritime Safety Institute (ISMI) with the support of the WECAPS project, CEDRE and Expertise France, is sanctioned by a certificate of participation certified by the International Maritime Organization (IMO).