A joint exercise on oil spill response and maritime search and rescue (SAR) was held in Amirabad Port, in cooperation with and attended by representatives from related organizations
According to a report by the Public Relations Office, the Ports
and Maritime Director of Amirabad Special Economic Zone (SEZ) announced the
above news, and added: "Considering the ratification of the Islamic
Republic of Iran to the International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness,
Response and Cooperation, 1990 (OPRC), and the International Convention on
Maritime Search and Rescue, 1979 (SAR), such exercises are held on an annual
basis in order to guarantee the required preparedness in the relevant fields
among the participants."
He stressed the large number of oil tankers and commercial,
military and fishing vessels sailing in the region, and elaborated that the
exercises were conducted in order to attain the objectives of the Ports and
Maritime Organization (PMO) and other related bodies toward safe and clean
seas.
Mr. Ali Khedmatgozar continued: "Due to the
significance of the exercise axes in regard to oil spills and maritime search
and rescue, the scenarios developed for this exercise focused on operations for
recovering people in distress from water, as well as containing and cleaning up
oil spills as the main predetermined targets, which were realized under the
efforts of all the personnel involved."
Highlighting the need for protecting the marine environment and
complying with maritime safety requirements, which call for multilateral
cooperations, he recounted preparedness for satisfactory service provision and
assessment of technical and operational capacities as other objectives of the
exercise, attended by representatives of IRI Naval Forces, Sepah Naval Forces,
Iranian Red Crescent Population, the National Meteorology Organization,
Amirabad Coast Guard Base, North Excavation Support Base, Behshahr
Petrochemical Terminal, National Iranian Oil Products Distribution Company
(NIOPDC), Dasht Naz Airport in Sari, Shahid Salimi Power Plant in
Neka, Behshahr Directorate of Environment, Abtin Marin Company, Pak
Kooshesh Kar Company, Negin Sabz Khavarmianeh Company, and the
Persian Gulf Pilotage Company.
The Ports and
Maritime Director of Amirabad Special Economic Zone concluded his speech by
expressing his hopes that the attitude revolving around constructive
interactions and cooperations would culminate in efficacious measures for
maritime search and rescue, environmental safekeeping, and minimizing maritime
casualties and incidents
