The Divulgare research group is once again involved in a European project to combat accidental maritime spills, this time of chemical substances. After the experience accumulated in the Arcopol projects, for the planning, training and response against oil spills, the university scientists are now starting a new journey in the Mariner project (Enhancing HNS preparedness through training and exercising) which, coordinated by Cetmar, will run until December 2017. Its objective is to improve the response capacity to chemical spills by developing coordinated training and response plans between different regions of Atlantic Europe, such as the United Kingdom, France, Spain and Portugal. The aim is to improve regional cooperation in planning, preparation and response to spills of harmful and potentially dangerous substances (SNPP), training and raising awareness and promoting the transfer of R&D results. Co-financed by the European Commission through the General Directorate of Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection, together with Cetmar and the University of Vigo, the Technological Institute for the Control of the Marine Environment (Intecmar) is involved in this project; the Coast Guard Service of Galicia; the Interdisciplinary Marine and Environmental Research Center (Ciimar) of the University of Porto; the Center de Documentation, de Recherche et d’Expérimentations sur les Pollutions Accidentelles des Eaux (Cedre) of France; the Portuguese company Action Modulers and Public Health England (PHE).
2000 chemical substances transported by sea
Professor Luis Navarro, coordinator of Divulgare, explains that after working for several years with the series of Arcopol projects, focused on accidental hydrocarbon spills, “we realized that the preparation for the fight against chemical spills (Hazardous and Noxious Substances) is much worse defined than the fight against oil spills”. The scientist points out that chemical spills have “great complexity”, given that there are more than 2000 different chemical substances falling into this category that are transported by sea. He recalls that “the transport of these substances has grown significantly in recent years” and for example in 2015 more than 215 million tons of HNS were transported by sea and, between 1987 and 2006, there were more than 100 accidents with cargo of this type in European waters. The increase in the transport of this type of product also increases the risk of marine accidents, with the added problem that each type of substance requires a specific combat protocol.
Luis Navarro, coordinator of Divulgare
The role of Divulgare
The main objective of the project is to establish combat protocols for the main types of substances and to provide training to those responsible and involved in the fight against dumping at sea. The participation of the Vigo group, as the researchers explain, focuses on two fundamental aspects. On the one hand, they will contribute their knowledge about the environmental damage that this type of dumping can cause and for the identification of the best environmental practices in the fight against dumping. The second line of action of Divulgare will be dissemination, creating and disseminating short videos of the results obtained in the project, and preparing audiovisual and graphic material that will be used in the online courses that will be prepared under the auspices of the project, continuing with the work carried out under the auspices of the Arcopol projects.
Each of the partners will develop a part of the project, so that other topics will also be addressed such as the adaptation to the marine environment of existing protocols and equipment for responding to spills of this type of substance on land or in river environments; the development and improvement of models for predicting the behavior, trajectory and environmental impact of harmful and potentially dangerous substances, as well as the development of materials, training courses and tools that facilitate the carrying out of exercises adapted to different regions and scenarios.
The fruits of Arcopol
For seven years, Cetmar has been at the forefront of the Arcopol projects to improve prevention, response and mitigation capacities against spills of hydrocarbons, chemicals and inert substances in the European Atlantic regions, and as a result, the platform of the same name was launched, which has around 200 members from all over Europe and also from the USA. In addition, part of the results of the Arcopol projects are included in the Territorial Plan for Accidental Marine Pollution of Galicia (Camgal Plan), which establishes basic rules and procedures for action, the organizational structure and the response system in the event of an episode of accidental marine pollution that occurs or has an impact on the Galician coast.
Source: Duvi
