Bulgarian Ports
Infrastructure Company

A simulation of a collision between two ships on the Danube took place in the water area of the Port Terminal Ruse West on 22 May at 10.00 a.m. As a result of the crash between a single-motor vessel and a motor vessel pushing a tanker-barge, a breach occurred in the cargo hold area of the tanker-barge, resulting in the leakage of part of the cargo - diesel fuel.

Very quickly, the Bulgarian Port Infrastructure Company (BPI Co.) responded with the equipment for prevention and response to operational or accident pollution (EPROAP), by lowering containment booms and a "LAMOR" specialized boat on the water and started to collect the oil pollution with the help of a bow collector and its relevant equipment, thus "preventing" an oil spill on the Danube.

The joint exercise "Danube 2024" was organised by the Ruse Regional Governor Dragomir Draganov and was aimed at verifying the effectiveness of the Regional Disaster Protection Plan in its part concerning specific oil spill hazards arising from incidents related to the navigation on the Danube and/or coastal infrastructure. The idea was to improve coordination and interaction between all institutions in the event of a need to contain and eliminate an oil spill.

Apart from the BPI Co., the other parties that took part in the joint initiative, included Directorate General "Emergency Rescue", the Directorate "River Surveillance" - Ruse, the Executive Agency for Exploration and Maintenance of the Danube River, the Marine Antipollution Enterprise JSCO - Varna, Regional Directorate "Border Police", Regional Directorate "Fire Safety and Population Protection", Emergency Medical Aid Centre, Executive Agency "Maritime Administration", 112 District Centre and other competent institutions.