KOPOS 2020 Large-scale Exercise Being Planned in Lithuania

Today, in Klaipėda, over twenty participants from seven different organizations participated in a preparation meeting about a large-scale oil spill exercise that will be held in Lithuania next April. [EDIT: POSTPONED TO 2021]

The exercise is named KOPOS 2020 – “kopos” meaning dunes in Lithuanian. It will imitate a large oil spill near the Butinge Terminal, both onshore and offshore the Baltic Sea.

At least two local municipalities will mobilize their resources for emergency response with volunteer-led NGOs. All in all, 20 different organizations will be involved in KOPOS 2020. Among them are all project partners from Lithuania: Klaipėda University, Lithuanian Red Cross and the Fire and Rescue Board of Klaipėda County. Other OIL SPILL partners are welcome to join the exercise as observers.

Currently, KOPOS 2020 is at the planning phase and the details are agreed upon in the end of January.

Marius Garbenis is the Chief of Fire and Rescue Service of Klaipėda region (left) and
Eugenijus Valikovas is the Chief of Maritime Rescue Coordination Center (right).
Photo by Mindaugas Kruopys.
Participants of the preparation meeting. Photo by Mindaugas Kruopys.

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