Indian Coast Guard Showcases Advanced Pollution Response Capabilities in Chennai Harbour Drill

Indian Coast Guard conducted a pollution response exercise off Chennai Harbour. Ships, aircraft, and agencies demonstrated oil spill response capabilities. The exercise included tabletop simulations, ship deployment, aerial spray operations, and shoreline cleanup by various organizations. The goal is to enhance coordination and response against oil spills at sea and protect the coastline.

Indian Coast Guard ships and aircraft on Tuesday demonstrated their pollution response capabilities at sea off the Chennai Harbour as part of a three-day Regional Level Pollution Response Exercise-2024, the ICG said.

This annual training exercise is being conducted by the Indian Coast Guard Region (East) with the active participation of ICG, ports, oil handling agencies, State Disaster Management Authority, Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board and Greater Chennai Corporation, an official release here said.

The exercise commenced on May 13 with a ''table top'' version conducted on the premises to streamline coordination and validate communication channels between various participating organisations for combating oil spills at sea, the release said. ''The ICG deployed multiple ships, including a specialised pollution control vessel with advanced PR equipment, for the demo. Coast Guard Dornier aircraft and ALH helicopter also undertook sorties over the ‘affected’ area, demonstrating aerial spray capabilities against oil spills. Vessels from Chennai Port also participated in the demonstration today,'' it said. A simulated shoreline cleanup by Greater Chennai Corporation in coordination with the State Disaster Management Authority and other agencies from the state will be held on the concluding day, May 15.

The overall objective of the exercise is to integrate all the organisations in combating oil spills at sea and subsequent shoreline cleanup operations.

''The exercise laid special emphasis on oil spill contingency in the vicinity of the major port and associated response by ICG and other stakeholders, thus strengthening the response mechanism against such eventualities,'' the release added.

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