المملكة: The captain of the environmental emergency ship told Al-Youm: We can contain spills exceeding 70,000 barrels…and the quick decision protects the marine environment.
Raban confirmed Badr Ali Bukhari said that the leadership of begins from the first moment of receiving a report of the incident, and not upon arrival at the spill site.
He pointed out that the success of control operations depends on the speed of decision-making, the accuracy of reading marine conditions, and continuous coordination with the operations room and participating parties.
Oil Spill Response Ship
Bukhari explained to Al-Youm that the captain assumes leadership of one of the most important stages of response to marine environmental incidents, based on his field experience. His knowledge of the nature of the sea, the ship’s capabilities, wind directions, wave movement, and , to ensure access to the appropriate location at the optimal time.
He pointed out that the periodic “Response” exercises simulate complex and highly sensitive scenarios, with the participation of 42 government and private agencies, in implementation of the requirements of the National Plan to Combat Oil Spills and Other Harmful Substances, which enhances the readiness of the competent authorities to deal with various marine environmental emergencies.
He added that the ship’s movement towards the accident site takes place after monitoring the spill via satellite, while maintaining continuous communication. With the operations room and field teams, to ensure the implementation of the response plan according to the highest standards of efficiency and speed.
He explained that one of the most important responsibilities of the captain is to choose the ship’s positioning location accurately, enabling the response teams to deploy oil barriers, operate oil recovery equipment, and carry out control and treatment work, taking into account maritime navigation traffic, safety requirements, and changing weather conditions.
Changing marine environment
Bukhari stressed that response operations require a great ability to take action. The decision is made in a changing marine environment, as the speed of the wind, the height of the waves, or the change in sea currents may require adjusting the ship’s course or repositioning it more than once during the mission, which makes the captain’s experience in reading the sea and dealing with its variables a major factor in the success of containment and pollution control operations.
He pointed out that the role of the captain is not limited to driving the ship, but rather includes managing the crew, and coordinating with the various participating parties, within an integrated system that begins with monitoring and analyzing the accident, and benefiting from modeling and simulation programs to predict the movement of spots. pollutants on the surface of the sea, leading to the implementation of control measures and protection of the marine environment.
He explained that the “Response” exercises test the readiness of all elements of the emergency system, most notably the captain of the ship, who leads the containment and control operations on the polluted spot, even in the worst hypothetical scenarios in which spill quantities exceed 70 thousand barrels, which reflects the level of national readiness to protect the marine environment and reduce the effects of pollution.
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