Sydney Harbour "exercise big dipper" oil spill response simulation

Sydney Ports Corporation staged ‘Exercise Big Dipper’ on 22 October 2009, a simulated oil spill, designed to test the emergency response capabilities of Sydney Ports Corporation and Shell.

The two-day emergency simulation involved the scenario of a crude oil tanker running aground at Gore Cove on Sydney Harbour, spilling 40 tonnes of crude oil. The exercise began as a desktop exercise, with a practical exercise scheduled for 6 November.

Sydney Ports Chief Executive Officer Grant Gilfillan said the aim of the exercise was to test Sydney Ports’ response capability to a ‘Tier 2’ oil spill, defined as a spill of between ten and 1,000 tonnes of oil.

Sydney Ports has responsibility for responding to emergency situations 24/7 and has an experienced team of 90 marine operations personnel at its disposal to ensure the safety of port users and protecting the environment of Sydney Harbour and Port Botany.

To read the media release, click here.