KARACHI, Pakistan: Pakistan Navy is committed to protect the country’s sea water from pollution and thus in close coordination with Pakistan Maritime Security Agency has embarked upon exercises to help address the issue with equal security and economic implications.
A PN official sharing details of the ongoing oil spill exercise “BARRACUDA – VI” with the media here Tuesday, said it was after the catastrophic incident of massive oil spillage in Karachi by Tasnam Spirit in 2003 that a comprehensive anti-pollution plan was developed.
“Besides safeguarding water borders of the country, the naval force also play a significant role in containing marine pollution covering ports, harbours and Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ),” he said.
With the very motive, the official said a comprehensive National Marine Disaster Contingency Plan (NMDCP) was prepared to address marine disaster, including pollution from oil, search and rescue and salvage operations at sea.
The objective is basically absolute level of preparedness against any sort of marine disaster that may occur any time, he said mentioning that NMDCP lays down comprehensive organization and contingency plans to effectively deal with marine disaster at national level.
The execution of NMDCP was said to be ordered by Pakistan Marine Disaster Management Board (PMDMB) headed by Chief of the Naval Staff.
Deputy Chief of Naval Staff (Operations) is the chairman of the Marine Disaster Response Committee (MDRC) meant to coordinate the efforts related to disaster management.
The NDRC itself works from a Disaster Response Centre located at Pakistan Maritime Security Agency.
The PN official in reply to a question about the ongoing BARRACUDA – VI exercise that began on Monday and would be continued till Wednesday said concerned civil organizations including National Disaster Management Authority, Provincial Disaster Management Authority, Karachi Port Trust, Port Qasim Authority, PNSC, National Institute of Oceanography, Karachi Commissioner office, PEPA, Oil Companies Advisory Committee, SEPA, M/s BYCO, PSO, Chevron, FOTCO, PRL etc are also participating in the exercise.
This he said has made the exercise all the more meaningful as it is aimed at rehearsing the anti-oil spill procedures and contingency mechanism.
To make it all the more fruitful it is being conducted in two phases including phase one conducted Tuesday at PSMA headquarters and comprised briefing, discussion and preparational checks for practical exercise.
Subsequent to planning and training on shore, phase two of it will be held Wednesday at North Arabian Sea encompassing practical oil containment exercise at Gadani Bay near Karachi.
Source: APP
