The grounding of the MSC Napoli container ship in Lyme Bay in January 2007 provided EROCIPS Partners from Dorset, Devon and Bretagne with the opportunity to put into practice their plans for responding to a maritime emergency and to validate some of the outputs so far developed through the Project.

To make the most of the region’s opportunity to learn from the Napoli experience EROCIPS hosted a well-attended ‘ Napoli Response Information Day (354KB - pdf help)’ on the 12^th July 2007. Those involved in the response to the MSC Napoli incident were invited to share their experiences with a wider audience, including potential responders to any future incidents.

The day started with an introduction to the EROCIPS Project and a recap of the events leading to the grounding of the vessel which set the context for the rest of the presentations.

The first session was opened by a presentation from the Deputy SOSREP who described the decision-making processes used when managing the response operation. This was followed by a presentation by the Chair of the Environment Group on the background to the environmental considerations, decisions and advice that were provided to aid the response. The heads of Devon and Dorset County Council’s Emergency Planning Departments then presented the different frameworks they set up to manage the response and how each was appropriate to their specific requirements.

Session 2 started with the Receiver of Wreck’s presentation clarifying the legal issues surrounding ownership and reporting of salvaged material collected from the beaches. Representatives of the Environment Agency’s waste handling team then provided an insight into the collection, transport, storage, treatment and disposal of the waste created by the incident. Natural England presented on the environmental impact and considerations of the incident and subsequent response, and a Devon County Councillor, who is also a resident of Branscombe, gave an account of the local community’s experiences.

There was also plenty of opportunity for questions and discussions. Some of the main points made on the day include;

• it is essential to have plans in place that cover response to chemical and inert pollution, as well as oil
• response plans need to have a degree of flexibility so that they can be applied as appropriate to the specific requirements of each incident
• waste storage and treatment sites need to be identified in advance so that plans can be implemented without delay in the event of an incident
• due to the detailed pre-incident knowledge of the Lyme Bay habitats, this incident provides an excellent opportunity to monitor ecosystem recovery processes
• ·the response tools that have been developed through the EROCIPS Project were effective and fit for purpose

Many people have commented that the day was very interesting and useful, and that it played an important role in raising awareness of the complexities of a response operation and the guidance, tools and legislation that are available to strengthen response capabilities, both short and long term.

The general consensus was that the shoreline response to the MSC Napoli's arrival in Lyme Bay had been well managed so far, and people are watching the ongoing events with interest.