SuperCEPCO 2008 Operation – Apr 21, 2008

    SuperCEPCO 2008 Operation

    A Coordinated Extended Pollution Control Operation (SuperCEPCO 2008) organized by Denmark with the support of Sweden, Norway and of the EMSA CleanSeaNet service, was carried out from the Military Airbase of Aalborg (Denmark) between 21 and 30 April 2008. Surveillance aircrafts from Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, France, Finland and Spain monitored 24 hours per day the agreed route off the southern shores of Norway and in the Skagerrak area for oil pollution. 

    The operation, whose main objectives are reported hereunder, represented a unique opportunity for the sharing of experience and the pooling of resources among the participating Countries: 

    • to perform a continuous monitoring of ship source marine pollution reinforcing multinational cooperation;
    • to validate satellite detection;
    • to identify polluters and develop rapid, effective follow-up procedures.

    Throughout the operation 55 flights were performed and 28 satellite images (16 in Near Real Time) were received from the CleanSeaNet service. A total of 56 observations were made by aircraft (of which 17 clearly identified as mineral oil) and 28 through satellite monitoring. 

    Two ships were caught “red-handed” and judicial follow up procedures have been initiated. 

    REMPEC attended to this operation in view of the decision taken by the Contracting Parties to organize a similar operation in 2009 in the Mediterranean Sea.