Świnoujście: the international BALEX DELTA 2025 exercises have begun
The international BALEX DELTA 2025 exercise is underway in Świnoujście, with nearly 400 participants. The scenario involves, among other things, a collision of vessels in the Baltic Sea, a fuel leak, and water contamination.
"The exercises are cyclical, taking place once a year in a selected country that is a party to the HELCOM Convention. The exercises consist of two phases: sea and land," Sebastian Kluska, Director of the Maritime Search and Rescue Service, said in Świnoujście on Wednesday.
The exercise scenario involves a collision between vessels in the Baltic Sea, resulting in a fuel spill and water contamination. Some of the contaminants land on the beach between Świnoujście and Międzyzdroje, contaminating a section of the coast and coastal birds.
A total of 400 people are participating in both parts of the exercise. They represent services, inspections, and organizations from Poland, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Lithuania, Germany, and Sweden, among others. Dozens of vessels, as well as rescue and environmental teams, are involved in the tasks.
"We will gather resources and resources from across the West Pomeranian Voivodeship, including 80 firefighters and the necessary equipment to clean up the damage," said Senior Brigadier Mirosław Pender, West Pomeranian Voivodeship Commander of the State Fire Service. "The State Fire Service begins operations on land, and there we are prepared to collect, remove, separate, and redirect waste, as well as help save the lives and health of animals affected by the contamination," he emphasized.
"We are also prepared, because the nature of the sea is that poisonous warfare agents found after World War II can be discarded. We will cooperate with all services coordinated by the West Pomeranian Voivode, and we will practice this element," he added.
The organizer of the exercises is the Maritime Search and Rescue Service, and the land part is coordinated by the West Pomeranian Voivodeship Office.
"Two hundred meters of beach in Świnoujście will be closed to public use. Exercises are underway to collect substances, clean up birds, and secure the area," said Adam Rudawski, Voivode of West Pomerania.
"In these difficult times, it's crucial for us to increase security and so-called civic vigilance. We're also doing this under the new Civil Protection and Civil Defense Act to prepare citizens for various events. The more we practice, the more effective we'll be," he emphasized.
On Thursday, residents and tourists will have the opportunity to tour the vessels participating in the exercise. They will be available from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Władysław IV Quay in Świnoujście.
Actions to combat threats and pollution of the marine environment stem from the international Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area, signed in Helsinki on 9 April 1992 (the Helsinki Convention), to which Poland is a party. The Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission, also known as the Helsinki Commission or HELCOM, was established as the executive body proclaimed by the signatories of the Helsinki Convention. Its mission is to monitor and protect the natural environment of the Baltic Sea.
Kurier Szczecinski
