The government is leading efforts to strengthen regional readiness against maritime oil pollution through the Maritime Search and Pollution Response Exercise (MASEPOLREX25) field training exercise.
The training taking place from July 7 to 11, 2025, at Bandari Maritime Academy in Mombasa aims at bringing together stakeholders from across the region to assess and improve response mechanisms in the event of an oil spill in the Western Indian Ocean.
The simulation, coordinated by the Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA), in collaboration with the Kenya Navy and Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), aims to evaluate national and regional preparedness, test emergency protocols, and foster cooperation among neighbouring states.
Speaking at the opening of the exercise, KMA Director for Maritime Safety and Exercise Coordinator Julius Koech said the scenario simulates a collision between two oil tankers at the Kenya-Tanzania maritime border, resulting in a major oil spill.
“We are testing the management of a large-scale maritime crisis by activating the National Oil Spill Contingency Plan. This involves a multi-sectoral, multi-agency incident management team comprising both state and non-state actors,” said Koech.
The exercise includes deployment of offshore containment equipment and a simulated shoreline cleanup at Nyali Beach, following the hypothetical drift of heavy fuel oil towards the Kenyan coast. Participating vessels include KPA’s Mwokozi, Tangulizi, and Duma, alongside the Kenya Navy vessel Shupavu.
Koech emphasised that the government has invested significantly in oil spill preparedness, including training responders and establishing a cleanup fund.
“We have built capacity over the years and ensured that our partners, such as the Kenya Navy and KPA, have the necessary equipment and skills to manage such incidents,” he added.
Representing the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC), Raj Mohabeer commended Kenya’s advanced level of preparedness, noting that many countries in the region are still in the early stages of developing marine pollution response frameworks.
“Kenya has a well-structured national oil spill contingency plan, organised response systems, and appropriate equipment. One of the objectives of this exercise is to facilitate experience sharing so that other countries can replicate Kenya’s model,” Mohabeer said.
He highlighted the importance of regional cooperation in addressing maritime pollution, referencing the 2020 Mauritius oil spill as an example of the need for collective response strategies.
“Marine pollution cannot be effectively tackled by a single country. That is why we are working under the Nairobi Convention to develop a regional contingency plan, which is expected to be finalised by August next year,” he added.
Kenya Navy Fleet Commander Brigadier Mohamed Shemote described the exercise as critical for regional maritime security, marking it as the second of its kind following a similar drill in 2023.
“Oil spills are transboundary by nature. A spill from Mombasa could affect Somalia or Tanzania. These joint operations help us identify and address gaps in our systems,” he said.
KPA Managing Director William Ruto said that the regional field training exercise on marine oil pollution response is a very timely opportunity to gauge the country’s National Oil Spill Contingency plan and evaluate the capacity of local agencies to respond to real-time incidents.
He noted that it also underscores the collective commitment to safeguarding the maritime environment and enhancing capacity to respond effectively to marine oil pollution incidents.
“The field exercise will involve live simulations, deployment of pollution control equipment and coordination between agencies at sea and onshore. This exercise will ensure that we are thoroughly prepared with a well-coordinated, effective and swift response whenever emergencies occur at sea,” said Ruto.
He noted that KPA has a responsibility to plan, resource and respond to oil spills that occur within the harbour waters, including outside port limits that may impact port operations.
By Chari Suche and Sitati Reagan
