Kenya Unveils Marine Oil Spills Response Training to Combat Ocean Pollution

By Mwakwaya Raymond & Harrison Kivisu

Email, thecoastnewspaper@gmail.com

Kenya has taken a significant step towards combating marine oil spills pollution with the unveiling of a major regional field training exercise: MASEPOLREX25.

The training, which began on July 7, 2025 at the Bandari Maritime Academy (BMA) in Mombasa. It aims to test the country’s response and readiness to combat marine spills pollution, strengthen regional cooperation, and fine-tune operational procedures.

The week-long exercise will involve live simulations, deployment of pollution control equipment, and coordination between agencies at sea and onshore.

According to Eng. Julius Koech, director Maritime Safety Directorate, the training is essential in protecting marine ecosystems and promoting shared responsibilities.

“The risk of a major oil spill remains high given our coastal location and maritime traffic, and therefore our best line of defense is unwavering preparedness,” he said. “Exercises such as this are not only necessary, they are essential.”

The KMA has partnered with the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) under the Safe Seas Africa project, with support from the European Union, the United Nations Environment Programme, and the Nairobi Convention, to lead the training exercise.

The engineer emphasised the importance of strengthening systems and partnerships in protecting the marine environment.

“We are seizing this opportunity to strengthen our systems, reinforce our partnerships, and reaffirm our collective commitment to protecting our marine environment.”

The exercise features over 50 distinguished international delegates, including experts from renowned organizations such as the International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation (ITOPF), Oil Spill Response Limited (OSRL), SMIT Salvage, and the International Oil Pollution Compensation (IOPC) Funds.

The training exercise aims to foster a coordinated national and regional response to potential marine oil spills.

Capt William Ruto, the managing director of the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), said the exercise was a vital step towards building resilience, strengthening collaboration, and elevating Kenya’s leadership in marine safety and environmental protection.

“This exercise will ensure that we are thoroughly prepared with well-coordinated, effective, and swift response whenever emergencies occur at sea,” he said. “For the Kenya Ports Authority, in line with the KPA Oil spill response contingency plan, we have an obligation to plan, resource, and respond to oil spills that occur within the harbor waters, including outside port limits that may impact port operations.”

The Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) officer in charge, Raj Mohabeer, highlighted the importance of unifying responses to address oil spill scenarios.

“Many countries are now unifying their responses to ensure uniformity in addressing oil spill scenarios in the quest to deal with ocean pollution,” he said. “We want to exchange experiences to deal with marine pollution, and we don’t want marine pollution to be dealt with by only one country; we want all countries to be part of the process.”

Kenya Navy Fleet Base Commander Brigadier Mohamed Shemote expressed the Navy’s commitment to combating ocean pollution.

“There is a very big focus to ensure that our people are well capacity-built to manage such scenarios,” Shemote said.

The exercise demonstrates a collective commitment to safeguarding the maritime environment and enhancing capacity to respond effectively to marine oil pollution incidents.

With the participation of various organizations and international delegates, the training exercise is a significant step towards protecting Kenya’s marine ecosystems and promoting sustainable development.