Indian Coast Guard – The Indian Coast Guard (ICG), in collaboration with the Haldia Dock Complex, organized a two-day Marine Pollution Response Seminar and Workshop on May 21–22, 2025. The event focused on enhancing preparedness and coordination among stakeholders to effectively respond to oil spills along the West Bengal coast.
Held at the Coast Guard Pollution Response Cell in Haldia, the seminar aimed to test the effectiveness of the regional Oil Spill Contingency Plan. It brought together key industry and port stakeholders to discuss best practices, operational readiness, and inter-agency cooperation in marine pollution scenarios.
The event was inaugurated by the Coast Guard Commander (West Bengal), who highlighted the importance of unified action and praised the active participation of industry partners.
Participants included representatives from major entities such as the Kolkata Port Trust, MCPI, AVR Tank Terminal Pvt Ltd, Indorama India Pvt Ltd, IOCL Haldia Refinery, Haldia Petrochemicals Ltd (HPL), Reliance Haldia Terminals, Aegis Logistics Ltd, BPCL, and HPCL.
The workshop featured technical sessions led by experts from the ICG and Haldia Dock Complex, followed by a live demonstration of pollution response equipment. This hands-on session offered participants practical insights into the deployment and use of advanced marine pollution control systems.
The exercise also served to validate Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and clearly defined the roles of all stakeholders in the event of an oil spill, ensuring a well-coordinated and timely response.
This initiative reaffirms the Indian Coast Guard’s commitment to safeguarding India’s maritime environment and enhancing disaster preparedness through strategic partnerships and capacity-building efforts.
