A marine clean-up exercise was carried out at the mouth of the river Arade on December 3, an area that is under the jurisdiction of Portimão’s port authorities, as part of the navy’s national emergency plan.
The exercise, called Arade 2009, was aimed at training and integrating the new members of Portimão port authority’s intervention team.
A spill of hydrocarbons, such as oil, into the sea, reaching the Praia da Rocha area, was the scenario for the exercise.
Two hydrocarbon collection points were set up to protect the Arade estuary, one at Ferragudo beach and the other at the navy support point in Portimão.
Clean-up operations also took place simultaneously involving teams of volunteers along the beaches.
A number of vehicles as well as boats belonging to the Portimão port authority were also involved in the exercise.
Students at the faculty of marine and environmental sciences from the University of the Algarve were also present on the day to learn about the emergency procedures in place.
