A large-scale marine pollution response exercise will be conducted on Tuesday, March 31, in Elefsina, in the presence of the Minister of Shipping, Vassilis Kikilias, with the aim of testing the preparedness, response speed, and coordination of all involved agencies.

The drill forms part of broader preparations to address growing challenges affecting shipping, supply chains, energy distribution, and the maritime sector more broadly.

According to the scenario, a tanker is struck by a drone, resulting in a spill of petroleum products and triggering the immediate activation of marine pollution response mechanisms.

The exercise will involve assets from the Hellenic Coast Guard, alongside private-sector resources and specialized anti-pollution equipment. Coordination procedures with regional and local authorities—including Regions, Municipalities, Port Authorities, and Port Funds—will also be tested in real-time conditions. In parallel, local exercises will be carried out at port authorities across the country to enhance operational readiness at the national level.

In an interview earlier on SKAI 100.3 radio with journalists Vassilis Chiotis and Notis Papadopoulos, Mr. Kikilias stressed the importance of preparedness amid an increasingly uncertain international environment.

“In the context of prevention, and in a climate of international instability and unpredictable developments, we are obliged to plan scenarios and train our personnel so that we can intervene effectively to protect the marine environment, as well as our coasts and seas,” he said.

“For this reason, next Tuesday a large-scale exercise will be conducted simulating a marine pollution incident, based on a scenario involving a drone strike on a tanker causing an oil spill. The objective is to test readiness, response speed, and the activation of available resources—from Coast Guard units to private vessels and anti-pollution equipment—as well as coordination procedures with all relevant stakeholders,” he added.

Kikilias also noted that regional and local authorities will be mobilized to carry out similar exercises nationwide, reinforcing preparedness across all port authorities.