German Sea Rescue Forces Stage Largest Of Its Kind Training Exercise In The Baltic Sea

Mein Schiff 7 — Image Credits: DGzRS/Twitter

A large-scale emergency exercise was held in the Baltic Sea, including 150 emergency workers, six special ships, and a helicopter.

The exercise was held in the sea region between Warnemünde and Darßer Ort, coordinated by the Maritime Accident Command and the German Society for the Rescue of Shipwrecked People (DGzRS) in partnership with the cruise company TUI Cruises.

The exercise featured the “Mein Schiff 7,” a new cruise ship from TUI Cruises recently delivered from the Meyer Turku shipyard.

The ship, which measured 316 meters in length and 36 meters in width and could transport around 2,900 passengers, played a crucial role in the drill.

The exercise was an outcome of months of collaborative training sessions between the Central Command for Maritime Emergencies and the DGzRS, which aimed to improve maritime emergency readiness in response to Germany’s expanding cruise industry.

The exercise was conducted during a test trip with passengers on board.

The planned scenario included a cruise ship collision that left the vessel unmanageable, injuring numerous passengers and leaving others missing.

Following international guidelines, the “Mein Schiff 7” alerted Bremen’s Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC), which is operated by the DGzRS.

Helicopter — Image Credits: DGzRS/Twitter

Due to the complexity of the situation, the MRCC launched large-scale search and rescue operations and notified the emergency command.

In response, the sea rescue cruisers ARKONA (Warnemünde station), BREMEN (Großenbrode station), NIS RANDERS (Darßer Ort/Prerow station), and the sea rescue boat KONRAD-OTTO (Kühlungsborn station) headed out toward the accident site.

The crew of “Mein Schiff 7” provided first aid to the patients, represented by crew members during the exercise.

The Kiel Professional Fire Department’s Maritime Incident Response Group (MIRG) deployed a medical team to the site using a Federal Police Super Puma helicopter, which transferred the crew using a cable winch.

Emergency Exercise — Image Credits: DGzRS/Twitter

The DGzRS maritime rescue coordination centre managed an area search for missing people, with the NIS RANDERS functioning as the on-scene coordinator.

Sea rescuers also evacuated a badly injured person to the NIS RANDERS’ on-board hospital for further treatment.

An emergency towing operation was carried out to address the threat posed by the immobile cruise ship.

This operation was carried out by the Waterways and Shipping Administration’s multipurpose vessel ARKONA and the emergency tug BALTIC, which is stationed in the Baltic Sea.

The ARKONA’s crew established the towing connection with the “Mein Schiff 7” with the assistance of the Accident Command’s On-Scene Coordinator (OSC).

The participants deemed the exercise’s results satisfactory.

Wybcke Meier, CEO of TUI Cruises, highlighted the significance of such drills for guest and crew safety, emphasizing the professionalism and preparedness of everyone involved.

Captain Michael Ippich, Managing Director of the DGzRS and national SAR coordinator, praised the emergency services’ effective collaboration and dedication, emphasizing the importance of such drills in ensuring continuous operational readiness.

Dr. Robby Renner, head of the emergency command, commended the exercise’s success in training emergency personnel for complicated disaster circumstances involving cruise ships.

He expressed his gratitude to everyone who helped make the drill possible, emphasizing the increased preparedness for real emergencies.

Reference: DGzRS

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