HELCOM successfully tests Baltic readiness to respond to oil accidents at sea during BALEX DELTA 2004 exercise

19 ships and smaller vessels from the Baltic Sea countries participated in BALEX DELTA 2004 - HELCOM´s international oil spill response exercise this year held in Warnemunde, Germany, on 26th August 2004.

The main aim of the exercise was to test the alarm procedure, the response capability, the response time and the co-operation between response units of Baltic Sea States.

“The exercise was a success,” said Tadas Navickas, HELCOM observer at BALEX DELTA 2004. “We witnessed effective and well coordinated work of all national units”. He added that this annually conducted exercise has great importance for the overall readiness of the Baltic Sea countries response teams to take immediate joint action in case of a major oil spill and effectively work and assist each other at the scene of the accident.

The full report of the lessons learned from the exercise will be considered during the coming meeting of the HELCOM Response Group in Helsinki, Finland, 8-10 September 2004, said Tadas Navickas.

BALEX DELTA 2004 took place in the Gulf of Mecklenburg outside Warnemunde. It was organized by the German Central Command for Maritime Emergencies (CCME): Havariekommando. Response vessels from 6 Baltic Sea countries (Denmark, Finland, Germany, Lithuania, Poland and Sweden) participated in this years exercise. It was observed by officials from Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Sweden and the HELCOM Secretariat.

BALEX DELTA oil spill response exercises have been held annually since 1990. Through the time HELCOM has steadily improved the readiness of the countries around the Baltic to jointly respond to an oil spill at sea. In total, the Baltic countries have at hand more than 30 response vessels that are located around the Baltic Sea. They are able to reach any place in the Baltic Sea within six hours.

For more information on BALEX DELTA 2004 click here

Contacts

HELCOM Secretariat

Mr Nikolay Vlasov
Information Secretary
Tel: +358 9 6220 2235
Fax: +358 9 6220 2239