During the exercise, the Plan Ribera was activated to strengthen the response to a marine spill emergency
This morning, a successful environmental emergency drill was carried out along the coastline of Ciutat Jardí beach, during which the State Coastal Protection Plan against Marine Pollution (Plan Ribera) was activated. The objective was to assess the response capacity to a potential marine pollution event.
The exercise, organised by the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, simulated a collision between two ships off the coast of Palma’s port, resulting in a spill that reached Ciutat Jardí beach. This scenario allowed for the activation of the response protocols outlined in Plan Ribera.
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The Balearic Government Participates in Marine Pollution Drill on the Coastline of Ciutat Jardí Beach in Palma
The Balearic Government participated through its Directorate General of Emergencies and Interior, involving emergency technicians and staff from the Emergency Operations Unit (UOP), as well as deploying the Advanced Command Unit (UMA), which carried out coordination tasks once the contamination reached the coastline. In this regard, the Director General of Emergencies and Interior, Pablo Gárriz, emphasised: “Ultimately, with these types of drills, what we aim for is to ensure the response is as effective and efficient as possible. This relies on actions rooted in collaboration, cooperation, and coordination.”
Also involved were the Directorate General of Coasts and Litoral and the Directorate General of Ports and Maritime Transport, with the goal of strengthening inter-administrative coordination and cooperation during marine pollution incidents. Ports of the Balearic Islands (Ports IB) actively collaborated by providing two vessels: a beach craft for shallow water operations and a coastal vessel for broader shoreline areas.
Other participating institutions included the Palma City Council, the Balearic Port Authority, Maritime Rescue, Maritime Authority, the Red Cross, the Civil Guard, civil protection volunteers (from Llucmajor, Calvià, and Palma), TRAGSA, and the State Civil Protection. Together, they joined forces to ensure a swift and coordinated response to coastal pollution.
The drill took place over two days. The first day involved an activation exercise for various emergency plans concerning maritime accidents with spills and the risk of coastal pollution. This was held at the Port Authority headquarters and included participation from DGEI technicians. Simultaneously, a practical training session was held at Ciutat Jardí beach on the use of anti-pollution equipment, featuring the deployment of the UMA and a decontamination shower.
Today, a new practical drill was conducted at Ciutat Jardí beach, as part of the scheduled training simulations. This provided continued training and preparedness for all personnel involved.
During the drill, specialised marine pollution response teams were mobilised, including containment and recovery vessels, floating containment barriers, and environmental protection, maritime rescue, and emergency service personnel. Additionally, alert systems, communication protocols, and inter-administrative coordination mechanisms were activated.
The Plan Ribera outlines preventive measures, immediate response actions, and follow-up protocols to reduce the environmental impact of accidental marine spills and protect biodiversity, fishery resources, and the most vulnerable coastal areas.