Andhra Pradesh: Coast Guard’s RPREX-23 assesses preparedness in facing oil spills, marine pollution in Krishna-Godavari basin 

The Indian Coast Guard on Wednesday assessed the preparedness of the oil exploration companies to tackle oil spills and marine pollution during the Regional Pollution Response Exercise, RPREX-2023, off the Kakinada coast in Andhra Pradesh.

The Indian Coast Guard (ICG-Kakinada) on Wednesday assessed the preparedness of the oil exploration companies to tackle oil spills and marine pollution during the Regional Pollution Response Exercise, RPREX-2023, off the Kakinada coast in Andhra Pradesh. The operational efficiency of the Indian Coast Guard in the event of an oil spill was also demonstrated in the exercise. 

Six Indian Coast Guard ships, including a pollution control vessel and one Dornier aircraft, were pressed into the pollution response after an oil spill was simulated a few kilometres from the Kakinada coast. In the mock drive, the simulation was staged due to the collision and damage of an oil tanker.

At the end of the exercise, another simulation of the oil slick was created on the NTR beach, where shoreline clean-up capabilities were demonstrated.

The assets of the ONGC, Reliance Industries Limited, Vedanta and Kakinada Sea Ports Limited meant for response to marine pollution and oil spills were deployed in the exercise. 

ICG-Kakinada Commanding Officer Commandant G.V. Madhav stated in an official release that, “The Kakinada coast has been chosen for the RPREX-2023, given the scale of oil exploration and production activities in the Krishna-Godavari basin. The transit route of crude oil tankers makes the Kakinada coast potential for emergencies necessitating large-scale oil spill response.”

Various oil handling agencies, officials from the Department of Ports, AP Pollution Control Board, fisheries, marine police and disaster response participated in the exercise.