KARACHI: Marine Pollution like major oil spills are catastrophic for marine environment including ports, harbors and EEZ thus requiring collective response by all stake holders.
A Pakistan Marine Security Agency (PMSA) statement here on Monday said that after the catastrophic incident of MV Tasman Spirit in Karachi in 2003, a need was strongly felt to formulate a comprehensive Anti Pollution Plan.
Subsequently, National Marine Disaster Contingency Plan (NMDCP) was prepared and promulgated by Government of Pakistan in 2007 with Pakistan Navy and Pakistan Maritime Security Agency in lead role.
The National Marine Disaster Contingency Plan (NMDCP) lays down comprehensive organization and contingency plans to effectively deal with marine disasters at national level.
The execution of NMDCP was ordered by Chairman Pakistan Marine Disaster Management Board (PMDMB) which is headed by Chief of the Naval Staff. A Response Committee is meant to coordinate the efforts to deal with the disaster from Disaster Response Centre (DRC) at headquarter PMSA.
The statement said that this year Pakistan Maritime Security Agency has organized exercise BARRACUDA-VII under the guidance of Pakistan Navy from 14-17 November 2016.
The exercise is aimed at rehearsing the anti oil spill procedures and contingency mechanism. This marine Oil Spill exercise is being conducted in two phases. Phase-I was held on Monday at headquarter PMSA which included opening brief, discussion and pre-operational checks for practical exercise.
Commander Pakistan Fleet Vice Admiral Syed Arifullah Hussaini was the Chief Guest at the opening brief.
Subsequent to planning and training sessions, Phase-II will be conducted on 16 November 2016 at North Arabian Sea near Karachi encompassing practical oil containment exercise.
The Chief Guest alongwith DG PMSA Rear Admiral Jamil Akhtar and DG Port & Shipping Asad Rafi Chandna interacted with media on this occasion.
Vice Admiral Syed Arifullah Hussaini stressed upon the coordination of all participants in an effective manner to counter disasters at sea.
DG PMSA highlighted that PMSA being sole Law Enforcement Agency at sea is alive to and ever ready to respond and curb any maritime crimes in our area.
He informed that diesel and contraband items smuggling has been drastically curbed at sea by PMSA.
PMSA, it was pointed out, has also deployed its assets alongwith Pakistan Navy all along the coast, particularly for security of Gwadar Port.
The units of Pakistan Navy alongwith PMSA and various Govt/ Civil organizations including Ministry of Climate Changes, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources, Ministry of Ports & Shipping, Ministry of Interior, Karachi Port Trust, Port Qasim Authority, Gwadar Port Authority, National Institute of Oceanography, Provincial Disaster Management Authorities, SEPA, BEPA, Pakistan Metrological Department, Bahria Foundation, China Power Hub Generation Company Ltd., Shell Pakistan Ltd., Pakistan Oil Refinery Ltd., National Oil Refinery Ltd., Oil Companies Advisory Committee, City Govt Karachi, M/s BYCO, Pakistan National Shipping Corporation, Pakistan State Oil, Total Parco Marketing Limited, KANUPP, FOTCO etc are participants in the Exercise, the statement added.
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