According to the decision of HELCOM Response 13/2010 Finland was the lead country to organize and conduct the annual joint Baltic operational marine pollution response exercise BALEX DELTA in year 2012.
On the national level Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE) was the responsible authority to plan, organize and conduct the BALEX DELTA 2012.
Exercise took place during week 35 in sea area outside Helsinki.
Invitations to the Helsinki Convention Contracting parties were send out on 28th of February 2012.
As Finland received significant financial support from EU DG ECHO, the scope of the BALEX DELTA 2012 was widened and thus the scenario included following operational tasks:
a. Alerting
b. Open sea pollution response with specialised vessels
c. Open sea pollution response using non specialised vessels in laying and towing the oil booms (oil trawling)
d. FIFI
e. Emergency towing
f. Laying protective booms in the archipelago
g. Shallow water oil response with specialised response boats
h. Oiled coastline mapping
i. Beach cleaning
j. Oiled wildlife cleaning
k. Information sharing with a situational awareness system
l. Aerial surveillance and possibly equipment transfer with aerial assets
Preliminary programme of the Balex Delta 2012 was sent to all registered participants and observers on the 12th of July, 2012 by mail.
The final programme can be downloaded from the link below:
18 oil recovery vessels supported by 50 other ships and boats participated in the Balex Delta 2012. Number of registered observers and VIP's was 150. Updated information regarding participated vessels can be downloaded from the link below:
Balex Delta 2012 reports
Summary of the Situational Awareness Reports distributed by SYKE during the BALEX DELTA 2012 exercise:
Balex Delta 2012 International Seminar
Jointly with the Balex Delta 2012 Exercise in Helsinki Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE) arranged a one day long seminar on the 30th of August highlighting the following subjects:
- Wildlife protection during an oil accident – lessons learned from Balex Delta followed by key-note lectures
- GIS-based tools as a support to oil recovery operations
- LNG and chemical transport from the emergency preparedness point of view.
-
Balex Delta 2012 International Seminar Presentations (link to download all presentations)
Material for media
Balex Delta 2012 brochures
Photos
HELCOM, SYKE, and Finnish Border Guard photos:
