The Supreme Council for the Environment carries out the field exercise “Readiness 2” to respond to maritime emergencies

The Supreme Council for the Environment carried out the joint field exercise “Readiness 2” to respond to oil spill incidents, in cooperation with Bapco Refining Company – one of the companies affiliated with the Bapco Energies Group – the Gulf Petrochemical Industries Company (GPIC), and Aluminum Bahrain “Alba”, with the aim of testing the effectiveness of response plans to oil spill incidents at the facilities of the three companies, and enhancing coordination between the Supreme Council for the Environment and the concerned authorities in confronting marine environmental incidents and protecting coastal ecosystems in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Amna Al Rumaihi, CEO of the Supreme Council for the Environment, confirmed that the implementation of the “Readiness 2” exercise comes within a comprehensive national plan that aims to raise the efficiency of responding to marine pollution incidents with oil and other harmful substances, by preparing and updating emergency plans for oil spill incidents, and conducting periodic exercises to measure the effectiveness of available equipment and resources, and ensuring a rapid and effective response in cases of environmental emergencies.

Al-Rumaihi explained that the “Readiness 2” exercise was carried out under the direct supervision of the Supreme Council for the Environment and in coordination with the Executive Office of the National Disaster Response Committee. The exercise included simulating an oil spill scenario from one of the supply lines at the Bapco Refining Company port, where the procedures for reporting oil incidents, communication and coordination protocols between the Council and the participating companies and concerned authorities were tested, in addition to implementing containment, removal and rehabilitation operations for the affected area.

She stressed that this exercise reflects the Supreme Council for the Environment’s keenness to enhance national preparedness and raise technical and human efficiency in dealing with oil spill incidents, praising the constructive cooperation with partners in the government and industrial sectors and their pivotal role in supporting efforts to protect the marine environment in the Kingdom.

In turn, the Acting Managing Director of Bapco Energies and the CEO of Bapco Refining, Dr. Abdul Rahman Jawahery said that the implementation of the joint exercise to combat oil spill incidents, “Readiness 2”, comes as an important milestone within the national efforts aimed at developing the Kingdom’s capabilities in the field of environmental crisis management, and within the company’s firm commitment to supporting national efforts aimed at enhancing preparedness and effective response to various environmental emergencies, which constitute a major axis in Bapco’s refining strategy, and in line with its directions in sustainability, environmental protection, and supporting the Kingdom’s environmental security.

Jawahery explained that the implementation of this exercise embodies an advanced model of cooperation between Bapco Refining and its partners from national authorities and institutions, most notably the Supreme Council for the Environment, the Aluminum Bahrain Company (Alba), and the Gulf Petrochemical Industry Company (GPIC), through coordinating efforts, exchanging experiences, and raising the level of field and technical readiness for rapid response to marine spill incidents, and ensuring the highest standards of safety and protection of the marine and coastal environment in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

He noted that raising awareness of the importance of conducting periodic response exercises is a top priority for the company, which pays exceptional attention to strengthening communication channels and interoperability between teams, which reflects Bapco Refining’s commitment to maintaining a strong and reliable emergency response infrastructure. He added that the exercise was designed with a comprehensive set of objectives to enhance both readiness and cooperation between organizations, which contributes to improving communication and coordination processes, and enhances the steps to verify the validity of emergency plan procedures in participating companies, while ensuring compliance with national regulations for leakage incidents. Oil, which enhances readiness and operational response capacity.

Jawahery extended his sincere thanks and appreciation to all parties participating and supporting the implementation of this exercise, stressing that joint work and continuous coordination are the basic foundation for ensuring an effective and rapid response to environmental incidents, protecting marine resources, and supporting the Kingdom’s endeavors to achieve the highest levels of environmental sustainability.

For his part, CEO of Gulf Petrochemical Industries Company (GPIC), Yasser Al-Abbasi, confirmed that the company’s participation in the joint exercise to combat oil spill incidents comes within its firm commitment to support national efforts to protect the marine and coastal environment, and to strengthen the integrated response system for environmental emergencies in the Kingdom of Bahrain, in line with the highest approved environmental standards.

For his part, Ali Albaqali, CEO of Aluminum Bahrain “Alba”, stressed the company’s pride in participating in this exercise, saying: Since the launch of Alba’s operations in the 1970s and its reliance on receiving raw materials through its sea port in Sitra, protecting the marine and coastal environment has formed a fundamental pillar of our corporate culture and our approach to sustainability, as an integral part of our national responsibility.

He expressed his pride in participating in the “Readiness 2” exercise and the positive results it yielded, which came thanks to the distinguished coordination between work teams from various participating national entities and companies, pointing out that this cooperation resulted in the highest levels of harmony and one team spirit. He also praised the prominent role of the technical and field teams, which demonstrated their high readiness and ability to apply the best international practices in managing environmental incidents efficiently and professionally.

The “Readiness 2” exercise comes as an important step towards strengthening the national ability to confront environmental challenges and improving the comprehensive preparedness of various sectors, which contributes to consolidating the Kingdom of Bahrain’s position as a regional leader in industrial emergency management and protecting the marine environment.