Dubai Maritime City Authority (DMCA), which is responsible for regulating, supervising and co-ordinating all aspects of maritime sector in Dubai, conducted its first ever multiple jurisdiction table top exercise and ship board evacuation.

Annoucing the success, DMCA said its cruise ship emergency response task force had hosted the first cruise sector mass casualty table top exercise and drill last week.

The task force was set up by the DTCM and DMCA in September 2011 to address the challenges presented by the introduction of ever larger cruise ships to the UAE waters and help ensure the safety of cruise ships arriving in Dubai besides reinforcing Dubai’s preparedness to deal with potential maritime accidents.

The task force, which comprised federal and local emergency responders, including the cruise industry, the Dubai Tourism, Commerce and Marketing Authority and coordinated by the DMCA, focused on how best to organize and respond to a multiple casualty event aboard a cruise ship in port or in near coastal waters, given that such a situation would require a significant amount of communication and coordination across public and private sector operations.

The tabletop exercise, taken from real-life occurrences, simulated multiple casualties aboard a cruise ship outside of Port Rashid in Dubai, said the DMCA statement. Costa Cruise Lines’ Favolosa volunteered to participate in the exercise.

Captain Abdulla Al Hayyas of DMCA, acting as the control cell leader, was aboard the ship ensuring alignment of the ship’s command and shore-side command center. The ship successfully evacuated over 800 crew members in less than thirty minutes.

The exercise contained simulated events that involved several jurisdictions and required active participation and communication from both public and private sector entities.

The other organizations that took part in the drill were National Crisis and Emergency Management Authority, Dubai Police and Dubai Rescue Police, Dubai Civil Defense, Favolosa, DTCM, Dubai Health Authority, Dubai Ambulance Department, Dubai Ports Authority, Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation, Abu Dhabi Department of Transport, Dubai Ports World and Abu Dhabi Port’s Company.

DMCA executive director Amer Ali said, "It is crucial that all of us are always prepared to respond decisively and promptly to any emergency situation. The regular tabletop exercises that we organize are therefore part of our continuing efforts to improve our emergency procedures and ensure a fluid working relationship between government and private entities during emergencies."

"The most recent exercise and drill demonstrated Dubai’s preparedness to deal with such eventualities," he added.-TradeArabia News Service