Counter Pollution training event


 A week of training organised by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency is being held at Portland to test out counter pollution equipment.

The training which started yesterday (13 September) will see tests of counter pollution kit on shoreline, at sea, in the harbour area and in the air.  

It gives the Maritime and Coastguard Agency the opportunity to test new and old equipment, whilst giving training for its new staff in a ‘real-time’ situation.

Equipment which would be used in the event of pollution in UK waters includes offshore booms, skimmers, different types of vessels and specialist oil containment kit.

Other organisations are also taking part in the training including Portland Port, HM Coastguard, contractors that are used by the MCA in pollution incidents, Marine Management Organisation and local authorities.

All the training is being carried out under normal Health and Safety considerations and existing Government guidelines on COVID-19.

Exercise director Jerry Connors from Her Majesty’s Coastguard said: “We continue to carry out training at this level because we know how vital it is if we need to react to a real incident at any time.

“Training in this kind of environment helps to familiarise everyone with the equipment and build the kind of relationships between groups and organisations that will matter even more if the worst should happen.”

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