On November 14, 2023, the fifth online exercise “Caspian Sea ALPHA/BRAVO” took place within the framework of the Aktau Protocol. The exercise was organized by the Interim Secretariat of the Tehran Convention (TSTC) with the participation of the National Emergency Response Authorities of the Caspian countries.

The exercise was conducted under the leadership of a representative of the responsible organization for the implementation of the Aktau Protocol in Turkmenistan, the head of the Seaport captain service of the Administration of State Supervision of Shipping in Turkmenistan, under the “Turkmendenizderyayollary” agency, and was moderated by Mr. Mateusz Benko from the Temporary Secretariat of the TC.

The exercise was conducted under the Framework Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Caspian Sea (Tehran Convention) and the Protocol on Regional Preparedness, Response and Cooperation in the Case of Oil Pollution Incidents (Aktau Protocol). These documents provide the legal basis for regional cooperation to combat marine pollution resulting from accidents.

The exercise aims to familiarize responsible personnel with the use and national handling of the POLREP (Pollution Report) reporting template, to test communication lines for reporting, requesting and providing assistance, and to gain an understanding of parties' current preparedness to respond when called upon to provide help.

Representatives of Turkmenistan provided a description of the incident scenario and outlined the goals and objectives for representatives of the Parties and participants during the exercise.

Turkmenistan submitted an oil pollution incident report (POLREP), as well as a request to facilitate official contacts between the Parties under the Aktau Protocol in English and Russian in a bilingual form on November 14, 2023.

As a result of Oil Spill Exercise Bravo, the Caspian countries that received a PolRep (pollution report) promptly responded to the call for help along with acknowledgment of receipt of the message.

The Aktau Protocol was adopted and signed at the third session of the Conference of the Parties (COP-3) in Aktau, Kazakhstan, on August 12, 2011. This is the first protocol ratified by all Caspian countries and entered into force on July 25, 2016.