This week, the Spanish Navy will conduct the national maritime security exercise MARSEC-26 at 15 locations, including Alicante. Additionally, the port of Alicante will host a maritime emergency practice tomorrow, Wednesday April 15th. Rafael Torrecillas, the naval commander of Alicante, will provide an explanation of the exercise this Monday, which will simulate a highly intricate scenario that includes a cargo ship that is experiencing manoeuvring difficulties, a fire on board, injuries, marine pollution, and the potential for a noxious cloud.
The Naval Command of Alicante, which is a component of the Maritime Action Force, will be responsible for the operation, which will be conducted at berth 14. The initial scenario entails the multipurpose vessel BMP “Cartagena” (A-62), which will simulate a cargo ship that experiences a steering failure and requires the assistance of tugboats and pilots in order to access the port of Alicante.
Subsequently, a series of interconnected incidents will transpire: the captain experiences a stroke, a substantial fire breaks out on the vessel, the injured are treated and evacuated, resources are mobilised to combat marine pollution as a result of the fuel spill, and the behaviour of a toxic cloud is anticipated.
Twenty-seven organisms
The primary goal of the exercise is to enhance the collaborative planning and coordination of the diverse administrations and agencies that are responsible for maritime safety. In addition, it is designed to evaluate the ability to mobilise and to implement a coordinated response to a multifaceted emergency. Personnel from 27 agencies are participating in Exercise MARSEC, according to the naval commander of Alicante.
The Port Authority of Alicante, the Maritime Captaincy, the Navy, the Military Emergency Unit (UME), the Customs Surveillance Service, the Port Police, the Fire Department, the CV112 emergency telephone number, the CICU, and the Red Cross are among the entities that will participate in the security exercise in Alicante.
In the event of a crisis that necessitates simultaneous action on the safety of the ship, health care, and the protection of the port environment, the exercise will also serve to assess the actual capacity for coordinated response in one of the province’s primary maritime activity centres.
