SYRIA OIL SPILL
On August 23rd 2021 Syria requested emergency assistance due to a leakage of fuel into the sea occurred from one of the fuel tanks (contained 12,000 m3 of fuel ) at the Baniyas thermal station. In response REMPEC activated the Mediterranean Operational Network for the Global Ocean Observing System (MONGOOS) (CMCC, Orbitaleos and Orion), member of the Mediterranean Assistance Unit. As result neighbouring countries, i.e. Cyprus, Israel, Lebanon and Turkey were notified for a possible arrival of oil on coastal areas. Later on a crisis management meeting was organized and attended by representatives of the Ministry of Local Administration and Environment, UNEP/West Asia, UNEP/MAP, IMO and REMPEC. to obtain updated information on the pollution, the impacted areas, measures undertaken by the Syrian Government and REMPEC and to define the course of action.
Following the oil spill forecast Cypriot authorities mobilised the EMSA vessel “Alexandria”, and requested REMPEC to notify Greece and Israel about the potential activation of the Sub-regional Marine Oil Pollution Contingency Plan between Cyprus, Greece and Israel.