Maritime New Zealand spill exercise

The IOPC Funds was invited to observe a spill exercise run by Maritime New Zealand (MNZ) from 9-11 May 2016. The exercise was designed to test an all of government response to a major maritime incident and in particular the improvements introduced to MNZ‘s process for responding to such an incident as a result of its experience handling the MV Rena in 2011.
The Director, José Maura, Head of Claims, Liliana Monsalve, and Information Officer, Victoria Turner, witnessed the management of the incident from the outset at MNZ’s headquarters in Wellington. They followed the actions of MNZ as the incident escalated and the Maritime Incident Response Team, set up to coordinate the national response, relocated to the National Crisis Management Centre (NCMC). On day two of the exercise Mrs Monsalve and Mrs Turner visited the Emergency Coordination Centre (ECC), which was set up in New Plymouth to lead operations at the scene, whilst the Director remained in Wellington before visiting the ECC on the third and final day of the exercise.
The IOPC Funds provided comments and observations to MNZ on the handling of the incident. The exercise was very well managed and demonstrated MNZ’s capability to handle a very complex oil spill situation.
The Director also took the opportunity to meet with the Minister of Transport for New Zealand where the importance for New Zealand to ratify the Supplementary Fund Protocol was discussed.