Transport Malta will be hosting a national pollution response exercise, off Maltese shores, on Wednesday, simulating a large oil spill from a vessel following a collision with another.

The pollution response will involve the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA), and several local and international entities, both private and public.

EMSA has made available new equipment from its assistance service arrangement located in Ravenna, Italy.

EMSA has never used this set during a real spill; this exercise will provide an opportunity for the operators to get familiar with this equipment and test its deployment at sea.

As part of the exercise, Malta requested international assistance through the EU’s Common Emergency Communication Information System (CECIS). All stakeholders and participants were notified to put their resources on 'standby'.

Weather permitting, the simulation will commence at 8am when vessels will be deployed at sea. 

The exercise will give Maltese responders invaluable experience for the eventuality of a real spill, testing both the communication systems, the equipment and to make sure all roles and responsibilities of the personnel listed in the National Pollution Contingency Plan will be effective during an actual response.

Transport Malta will present a report to EMSA during the third week of October.

The following are participating in this exercise:

• TM Units & Departments
• Armed Forces of Malta - Maritime Squadron/Ops Room
• Civil Protection Department
• Malta Police
• Accident & Emergency Unit, Mater Dei Hospital
• Environmental Health Department
• Environment & Resources Authority
• Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture
• European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA)
• REMPEC
• Tankship Management (EMSA chartered response vessel)
• Falzon Marine (EMSA chartered response vessel)
• Tug Malta Ltd
• Malta Maritime Pilots
• Port Logistics Operations
• Cassar Maritime Services
• OSRA Int
• Zammit Group
• Dept of Geosciences, UoM
• Partners and stakeholders of the CALYPSO SOUTH project