National Exercise From Tabuk to Aseer Enhances Marine Pollution Response Preparedness

The National Center for Environmental Compliance announced the successful completion of marine and coastal environmental protection drills involving 306 Saudi specialists in Aseer Region, following a similar exercise held five days earlier in Tabuk Region. The exercises are part of a national program designed to strengthen the readiness of relevant authorities to respond to oil spills and other hazardous material incidents along the Kingdom's coasts.

 Mission leader Eng Fawaz Al-Mujthel stated that the latest exercise demonstrated the strong capabilities of participating government and private entities in managing a variety of emergency environmental scenarios in coastal and territorial waters. He noted that the center conducted two consecutive exercises in Tabuk and Aseer with the participation of around 60 entities from both sectors.

 The drill tested the preparedness of personnel from 31 entities in responding to a simulated leak of 10 barrels of oily and hazardous materials. Field teams carried out rapid containment procedures to prevent the spill from reaching the coastline, while operations teams monitored response indicators and reaction times in accordance with unified emergency plans.