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FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
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INFO RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE
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RUEHDA/AMCONSUL ADANA 1990
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 5388
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC
RHMFIUU/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUCBNLA/COMUSNAVEUR DET ONE LONDON UK//POLAD//
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUWDSGG/CG I MEF

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 001310 
 
SIPDIS 
 
USDOC FOR NOAA 
STATE ALSO FOR OES/OMC RIDDLE FOR COAST GUARD 
PARIS FOR USOECD 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SENV EPET EWWT MARR TU RS GG RO
SUBJECT:  TURKEY PLANS BLACK SEA OIL SPILL RESPONSE EXERCISE 
 
REF: 06 ANKARA 4703 
 
ANKARA 00001310  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1.  (SBU) SUMMARY:  Private industry, the Turkish Government, and 
other Black Sea littoral states are planning a comprehensive oil 
spill response exercise September 19-20 at Eregli on the Turkish 
Black Sea coast, preceded by a series of planning workshops. 
Industry observers give the Government of Turkey credit for 
improving its oil spill response preparedness, but recognize the 
need for greater coordination between industry and various 
government agencies, the objective of this September exercise.  In 
the event of a serious oil spill, Turkey would have to draw on 
international resources.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  (U) BACKGROUND: Turkey's Ministry of Environment has ultimate 
responsibility for handling oil pollution or spills.  Local 
responsibility is designated to managers at individual ports, or in 
the case of spills at sea, to the Turkish Navy and the 
Undersecretariat for Maritime Affairs.  Oil on shore would normally 
be dealt with by the municipalities or installation concerned.  A 
National Contingency Plan has been developed by the Ministry of 
Environment, the Undersecretariat for Maritime Affairs, the Turkish 
Coast Guard, and the Provincial Governors.  A National Contingency 
Plan Executive Committee has been established to coordinate 
preparedness and response.  Plans for some cities, such as Istanbul, 
Canakkale, Samsun, Trabzon, Antalya, and Mersin have been 
forumulated. 
 
¶3.  (U) There is some government-owned oil spill response equipment 
at various locations in Turkey, mainly operated by Coastal Safety 
and Ship Salvage Administration, a government-run salvage company 
located in Istanbul.  A limited amount of oil spill clean up 
equipment is owned by oil companies operating in Turkey, such as the 
BP led BTC port facility at Ceyhan.  A few small, private salvage 
companies operating from Istanbul have dispersant spraying 
capability.  SESMEKE, a joint venture of SEACOR Environmental 
Services Inc., a global leader in emergency response services, and 
MEKE Marine Environment Services, a Turkish oil spill response 
contractor, is the most significant private company. 
 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
Industry focusing on Black Sea Oil Spill Preparedness 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
¶4.  (U) London-based private industry Oil Spill Response 
Preparedness Initiative (OSPRI) (affiliated with the International 
Petroleum Industry Environmental Conservation Association) has been 
working closely with the Government of Turkey (GOT) on oil spill 
response preparedness, particularly with the Bucharest Convention 
affiliated and Istanbul based Black Sea Commission.  This is in part 
because the Mediterranean Sea based Barcelona Convention -- and its 
affiliated organization, Malta-based REMPEC -- is viewed as more 
mature and experienced.  The latter organization was particularly 
active in August 2006, when there was a threat that the Lebanon oil 
spill might affect Turkey, which ultimately never happened (Reftel). 
 
 
------------------- 
BP/Chevron Comments 
------------------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Chevron's Istanbul-based maritime shipping expert Kjell 
Landin said the GOT had made great progress on oil spill response, 
including formulation of a national plan, but there was still a need 
for greater implementation, preparation, coordination, and high 
 
ANKARA 00001310  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
level support.  He commented that industry had recommended 
designating three response centers in Turkey, but provincial 
governors had successfully argued for seven, which could threaten 
assuring standard equipment and procedures.  BP officials also gave 
the GOT reasonable marks for oil spill response capacity, but noted 
the potential challenge in coordinating local authority versus 
Environment and Maritime Ministries' responsibilities.  They gave 
high marks to the GOT's management of the Bosphorus and Dardanelles 
Vessel Traffic System (VTS), noting that the GOT was going to merge 
the heretofore separate management of VTS and pilotage.  Noting the 
importance of Black Sea cooperation on port and shipping standards, 
the BP officials supported countries raising these issues in all 
possible fora: International Maritime Organization, EU, Black Sea 
Commission, and BSEC.  They suggested oil spill response as a topic 
in the USG sponsored BSEC environment workshop in September. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
Workshops Culminate in September Oil Spill Exercise 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
¶6.  (U) OSPRI, the Black Sea Commission, a private shipper (Gungen 
Maritime) and the GOT (Undersecretariat for Maritime Affairs and the 
Ministry of Environment) are organizing an international oil spill 
exercise September 19-20 at Eregli, site of a significant steel 
works on the Turkish Black Sea Coast, north of Ankara.  The exercise 
is intended to involve search and rescue and oil pollution 
components.  The sponsors have organized a series of planning 
workshops, such as a dispersant workshop in December, 
sensitivity-mapping workshop in March (in conjunction with the GOT's 
science institute - TUBITAK), an aerial surveillance workshop in 
April, a table-top exercise in April (Black Sea Contingency Plan), a 
shoreline deployment training in May (use of booms and barriers), a 
claims seminar in June, and a media handling seminar in July, (some 
of these events take place in Ankara or Istanbul).  Representatives 
of Turkey, Russia, Georgia, and Romania attended the 
sensitivity-mapping seminar. 
 
¶7.  (U) Key exercise contacts are Kjell Landin, Chevron (90 212 - 
542 8688: ktla@chevron.com), and Peter Taylor, London based OSPRI 
(+44(0) 1234 576459; PTaylor@ipieca.org). 
 
¶8.  (SBU) COMMENT: Like the Black Sea Economic Cooperation 
organization (BSEC), the Black Sea Commission is not viewed as a 
highly effective organization.  However, with industry help, it has 
increased its capacity and role in coordinating oil spill response 
between Black Sea littoral states.  Although the Black Sea 
Commission has the lead on environmental issues, industry experts 
see a role for BSEC in also being involved in oil spill response and 
shipping and port standards.  Industry in Turkey recognizes progress 
in Turkey's oil spill response readiness, but sees the need to 
improve and "play" coordination.  There could be a role as observer 
for the U.S. Coast Guard at the September exercise at Eregli. 
 
WILSON