As part of APA S.A.'s internal emergency plan, a simulated accident exercise was held on 25 October, starting at 10:00 and ending at 11:30.
The scenario of the exercise was the occurrence of a fire outbreak during the unloading of VCM on the articulated arm connecting the quay bridge to the vessel operated by Cires, at the Liquid Bulk Terminal (TGL) of the Port of Aveiro.
The main objective of the exercise was to test the operability of the existing resources and all the logistics involved in the simulated scenario, as well as the capacity of the various parties involved to carry out the evacuation process of the people assigned to the various companies located at the Liquid Bulk Terminal, the Solid Bulk Terminal (TGS) and the Logistics and Industrial Activities Zone (ZALI).
From the Operations Coordination Centre (OCC) at APA S.A. A.'s headquarters, the simulated accident was managed through the communication channels established with the various intervention teams on site, namely the CiRES and Bondalti brigade teams, the Ílhavo and Aveiro Volunteer Fire Brigades, the Tinita tugboat company, the GNR, the Maritime Authority, the Municipal Civil Protection Service of the Ílhavo City Council, the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority - Aveiro Region Sub-Regional Command, the safety officers of the companies located at TGL, TGS and ZALI, as well as teams from APA, S. A.'s intervention centres.
All the fire-fighting equipment was successfully tested, namely the Cires, Bondalti and APA fire nets of the three fire brigades, as well as the water projection of the two Tinita tugs that took part in the exercise.
The evacuation process on TGL, TGS and ZALI was satisfactory, with a total of 447 people evacuated to the concentration points defined by the CCO.
At the end of the exercise, a debriefing session was held with all participants to assess the intervention and emergency response capacity and to identify some improvement actions to be incorporated into the respective emergency plans.
The exercise was attended by members of the following companies, represented in the CCO by their respective safety managers
TGL: Cires, Bondalti, Digal, RNM, Prio Biocombustiveis, Prio Parque de Tanques, Glia, Drovigo Portugal, DOW and Bresfor.
TGS: Socarpor, Saisa.
ZALI: CSWIND
Organisation | No. of people involved |
Maritime Authority | 6 |
GNR | 5 |
Municipal Civil Protection Service | 2 |
ANEPC | 1 |
Port of Aveiro | 14 |
Three fire brigades: Bombeiros Voluntários de Ílhavo; Bombeiros Aveiro Velhos, Bombeiros Aveiro Novos | Total of the three fire brigades: 27 |
Tinita Company | 6 |
CIRES Brigade Team | 12 |
Bondalti Brigade Team | 2 |
