Five Indian Coast Guard vessels deployed off Odisha’s Paradip for deep-sea exercise

The Indian Coast Guard on Wednesday carried out a large-scale pollution response exercise in the deep sea off the Paradip coast to test preparedness and response mechanisms in the event of oil spills or marine pollution incidents.

Reports stated that the drill focused on coordinated operations to contain and mitigate pollution arising from accidental oil leaks from ships or other maritime sources. The exercise was aimed at assessing operational readiness, response time and inter-agency coordination for safeguarding the marine ecosystem along Odisha’s coastline.

Simulated Oil Spill Response At Sea

According to Coast Guard officials, the mock drill simulated scenarios involving oil leakage from vessels and other forms of marine pollution.

Sources reported that specialised Coast Guard ships, Dornier surveillance aircraft and advanced pollution response equipment were deployed to demonstrate how containment and recovery operations would be carried out in deep-sea conditions.

The drill covered the entire response chain, from detection of pollution at sea to containment, recovery and shoreline protection. The exercise also demonstrated aerial surveillance and coordination between surface vessels and aircraft during pollution response operations.

Five Coast Guard Vessels Deployed

Five Coast Guard vessels participated in the exercise, including ICG Vijay, ICG Varad, ICG Amogh, ICG Adamya and ICG Charlie. Pollution response vessels of Paradip Port were also involved in the drill, highlighting coordination between the Coast Guard and port authorities.

The deployment of multiple platforms was intended to simulate real-time operational challenges and evaluate the effectiveness of pollution control measures under varying maritime conditions.

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Focus On Marine Environment Protection

The Coast Guard said the exercise was not limited to emergency response preparedness but also aimed at creating public awareness about the organisation’s role in protecting the marine environment.

From deep-sea operations to shoreline cleanliness, the drill showcased measures taken to prevent long-term ecological damage following pollution incidents.

The Coast Guard added that similar exercises will continue to be conducted to strengthen pollution response capabilities and ensure swift action in case of any maritime environmental emergency.