NYK, Japan Coast Guard Conduct Accident-Response Drill

July 27, 2011

NYK conducted an accident-response drill together with the Japan Coast Guard on July 26 based on a mock scenario having NYK LNG carrier Al Khor spill oil in Tokyo Bay followed by NYK’s cooperation with the Japan Coast Guard to address the accident. NYK conducts accident-response drills about 10 times a year, but this drill was part of the company’s Remember Nako-no-se Safety Campaign, which has been conducted throughout July every year.

A summary of the exercise is provided below.

Al Khor, an NYK LNG carrier (gross tonnage: 111,083 tons), collides with a containership proceeding southward after departure from the port of Tokyo. The collision takes place north of the Naka-no-se “D” buoy. Crew members on board Al Khor are injured, and oil leakage is seen from a hole at the rear starboard-side of the vessel’s hull.

1) Based on the assumption that Al Khor was in a serious accident, NYK establishes a crisis management headquarters with the ship-management company in response to the urgent report to the management company from the vessel.

2) Al Khor’s crew members report information about the accident to the third Regional Coast Guard Headquarters (operations center) and request the Japan Coast Guard to conduct rescue operations for injured crew members.

3) To minimize oil leakage from the hole in the vessel’s hull, NYK handles the accident at its crisis management headquarters with seeking directions from the third Regional Coast Guard Headquarters.

Through this drill, they were able to reconfirm the importance of cooperation with related parties, such as the Japan Coast Guard, and the appropriate communication of information by NYK and NYK LNG Shipmanagement Ltd., an NYK Group ship-management company.

The NYK Group will continue to proactively conduct joint drills with related organizations, such as coast guards and public offices in related countries, so that the company can remain prepared for every possible contingency.

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Source: NYK, July 27, 2011;