Very recently, Exercise BARRACUDA-XIII was undertaken by Pakistan from 9 to 11 December 2025 along the coast of Arabian Sea to test preparedness against oil pollution incidents at sea. Led by Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA), the exercise represented a coordinated national effort involving Pakistan Navy (PN), port authorities, oil terminal operators, civil administration, and private industry; thus, highlighting the multi-stakeholder nature of any effective oil spill response.
The origins of this exercise can be traced back to 2003, when the oil tanker, MT Tasman Spirit ran aground near Karachi harbour resulting in spilling of approximately 30,000 metric tonnes of crude oil. This accident adversely affected the adjoining beaches in Clifton and Manora and exposed the institutional and operational gaps in Pakistan’s ability to respond to a marine pollution incident. Resultantly, the National Marine Disaster Contingency Plan (NMDCP) was approved in 2007, later revised in 2019. Exercise BARRACUDA is a practical manifestation of NMDCP where the written framework is tested by simulating disaster scenarios which are structured around the tiered response system. Tier-I covers minor spills of less than 7 tons; Tier-II ranges from 7 to 700 tons, while spills exceeding 700 tons fall under Tier-III and are considered catastrophic. Response is generated by containment and/ or recovery by using floating containment booms (normally 300 m long) to limit the spread and skimmers to remove the oil, dispersant spraying, shoreline protection measures, and dedicated Oil Spill Response Vessels (OSRV) with monitoring/ surveillance support generally provided by aircraft or satellites. Collectively, Pakistan’s oil spill response resources provide only a partial Tier-II level capability and has mostly been tested against on-land or near-shore scenarios only. Exercise BARRACUDA deliberately integrates private-sector assets into nationally coordinated response chains, highlighting both strengths and constraints of this arrangement. Notwithstanding there are two areas where improvement can be undertaken:
Many of Pakistanis may recall only the Mubarak Village oil spill (2018) or the Tasman Spirit spill (2003), both of which qualify as accident. However, a parallel, larger, yet far less visible challenge comes from deliberate acts of pollution, i.e., the discharge of oily bilge water and sludge by ships, often in the open sea. A study by Basit et al., shows 92 instances of oil pollution within Pakistan’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) between January 2017 and December 2023 detected using satellite imagery, as shown in figure. This highlights the need to enhance monitoring, not only of vessels and human activity at sea, but also of pollution-related events. In this regard, Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), deployed on aircraft (by PN) or satellites (such as the Sentinel-1 series), remains the most effective detection platform, as highlighted in a recent presentation on “Space Technology and Pakistani Maritime Needs”, during the International Conference on Applications of Space Science and Technology held at Institute of Space Technology, Islamabad.
Second threat comes from Hazardous & Noxious Substances (HNS) other than oil. As the maritime transport of chemicals and other hazardous cargo continues to increase, the capability to respond to HNS chemical spills is also becoming important. At present, this capability remains limited, particularly in terms of specialized equipment, trained personnel, and clear response procedures. Strengthening compliance with relevant international conventions would help expand the existing oil spill framework to better address these emerging pollution risks.
As maritime traffic, trade, and energy imports continue to grow, it can be expected that Pakistan’s exposure to marine pollution risks will increase. Exercises such as BARRACUDA play a vital role in testing coordination, response capability, and public–private integration; however, a sustained effort towards monitoring, capacity built up, and legal compliance is also required. By expanding the existing capacity to full Tier-II capability, enhancing surveillance in our EEZ for both accidental and deliberate pollution by aircraft or satellites, and operationalizing frameworks related to HNS; national preparedness will be significantly enhanced, ensuring an effective and timely response to emerging maritime environmental challenges.
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