REMPEC participated at the International seminar on major oil pollution risks and oil spill response exercise in Oran and Arzew, Algeria 16-17 October 2012 – Oct 16, 2012

REMPEC has participated in an international seminar on major oil pollution risks, organized by the Ministère de l’aménagement du territoire, de l’environnement et de la ville (MATEV) and supported by the Oil Regulatory Authority and the National Oil Company SONATRACH. The seminar was an opportunity to review the status of preparedness to accidental oil spill in Algeria. The issue of illicit discharges from ships was also addressed and highlighted in the recommendations adopted at the closure of the seminar. Beside the various ministerial departments concerned the attendance included representatives of the  +  Defence initiative as well as NATO’s Regional Partnerships division. The seminar was followed on the 17 October by an oil spill response exercise which, under the presidency of Hon. Amara Benyounes, Minister for the environment, mobilized important aerial and maritime assets as well as the Civil Protection  response means for response ashore. The exercise was a good opportunity to test the capacities of the response means recently commissioned by the Algerian authorities i.e. SAR helicopters and two high sea tugs, class antipollution, equipped with firefighting and antipollution capacities (boom and skimmer).