Indian Navy conducts bi-annual exercise ‘Prasthan’ off Mumbai coast

The ‘Prasthan’ is performed to validate measures and procedures to deal with varied contingencies that will come up within the oil manufacturing platforms and was held in two phases on Friday.

The primary part noticed safety emergencies resembling assault by terrorists and bomb menace from IEDs, and upon receiving the ‘menace’, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command, Mumbai, who can also be the Commander-in-Chief (Coastal Defence), West activated the requisite contingency plan. The Disaster Administration Committee (CMC), comprising senior officers from varied defence, State and civilian companies, assembled on the Indian Navy’s Operation Centre to facilitate a coordinated response to all emergencies concerned.

The CMC assessed varied features of the emergencies and initiated coordinated actions by involved companies as per established Commonplace Working Procedures.

The Indian Navy, along side the Indian Air Pressure, deployed its anti-sabotage groups to neutralise safety threats within the affected oil platform. It additionally noticed actions to counter contingencies resembling terrorist intrusion, bomb menace, man overboard, medical evacuation of platform crew and oil spill within the space. This was adopted by the second part which witnessed motion towards contingencies resembling fireplace within the oil platform and helping a disabled vessel within the offshore growth space.

A number of ships and helicopters from the Indian Navy, the Indian Air Pressure, the Indian Coast Guard, ONGC, Ministry of Petroleum and Pure Gasoline and Director Normal of Transport had been deployed for the train.

Moreover, personnel from Maharashtra Police, Customs, Fisheries Division, Mumbai Port Authorities, JN Port Authorities, India Met Division and different involved State and Central civilian companies additionally participated within the train.

The drills and procedures had been undertaken in a synergetic and coordinated method and offered a sensible setting to evaluate the preparedness of all involved companies to deal with these contingencies as additionally the procedures for cooordinating actions amongst varied companies.

Now, an in depth evaluation of all actions could be undertaken to refine current procedures and assess features that should be additional strengthened and improved.