Marine pollution, in case of both local and national emergencies, may be countered at different operational levels, depending on the type, extent and gravity of pollution.
With the purpose of ensuring a good environmental status of the Mediterranean Sea, all the Italian Navy ships provide a tangible contribution to marine monitoring, in order to prevent and control sea pollution and illegal activities at sea. In case of oil dumping, for instance, the presence of a naval vessel in the area may be crucial to raise the alarm, collect and report valuable information on the accident, collect evidence and even provide timely intervention. All the Italian Navy units are fitted with fire-fighting and damage control teams and equipment which may be transferred – if needed - onboard a damaged ship dumping pollutants into the sea. Once onboard, the team may assist the crew in intercepting spills, stopping the leak, and recovering the ship and shipload (containment operations).
Besides these capabilities, the Italian Navy has 6 vessels specialised in anti-pollution operations. The "Costellazioni" Class consists of 4 patrol vessels of the "first series" (Cassiopea, Libra, Spica, Vega) - realised pursuant to the Legislative Decree on the protection of marine environment - and 2 of the "second series" (Sirio and Orione). The 6 patrol vessels – four of which were launched in the late 80's (almost thirty years ago) – are included in the First Patrol Vessels Squadron based in Augusta (Sirio), Messina (Cassiopea, Libra, Spica and Vega), and Cagliari (Orione).
Far from being mere anti-pollution patrol vessels, the units of the "Costellazioni" Class are versatile, being able to perform a wide range of tasks, both military and civilian, including protection of national interests (escorting merchant and fishing vessels), fight against illegal trafficking, search and rescue, and fire-fighting operations. All ships may embark a helicopter, key asset for naval operations.
When performing anti-pollution operations, each crew member is assigned a specific task. The ship approaches the oil slick, makes sure there are no explosive gases in the surrounding area, and prevents other boats from getting near. The standard procedure generally consists of two phases: the first one involves the containment of pollutants, deploying air inflatable booms to be trawled by embarked boats.
The second phase is removal. Once the oil spill has been contained, recovery may be implemented by using the Discoil, a floating device that works by exploiting the physical principle by which oil adheres to metallic surfaces. By using high-speed rotating stainless steel discs, partially submerged in the sea water, oil is recovered and transferred to storage tanks.
Each ship is also equipped with a small laboratory for the sampling and analysis of pollutants taken by the anti-pollution team. These activities are essential to assess the movement and spread of the oil slick, to estimate where it is likely to travel and which shorelines might be at risk (stranding), key information to organize interventions ashore.
Oil spill response capabilities of the "Costellazioni" Class patrol vessels include dispersion procedures, which consist in spraying special products on the oil spill through hoses or small guns. Nevertheless the application of dispersants is rare and must be pre-authorised, on a case-by-case basis (for this reason, the ships' storage tanks do not normally contain dispersants, which are loaded when required).
These specialised capabilities have been exploited on many occasions for actual usages, ensuring self-sufficiency and the possibility to carry out long-term overseas operations.
Anti-pollution capabilities require constant training and maintenance to keep equipment and assets in perfect working order. For this reason, crews regularly participate in basic and complex exercises. Anti-pollution capabilities are also included in the international context. Italy, along with France and the Principality of Monaco, adheres to the RAMOGE Agreement for marine pollution prevention and control. The Agreement, signed on 10 May 1976 and ratified in Italy by Law n. 743, 24 October 1980, is aimed at protecting Mediterranean waters.
Pursuant to the Ramoge Agreement, the Italian Navy takes part in an annual anti-pollution exercise alongside the French and Monegasque Navies. Events organised for 2016 to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Agreement include an exercise scheduled for 26 and 27 April, simulating an oil spill off the coast of Monaco. The scenario will simulate a collision between two ships in the waters off the Principality, causing an oil spill. The anti-pollution plan will then be activated, involving air and naval assets of member Countries. The Italian Navy vessel participating in the exercise will be ITS Sirio, embarking an AB-212 helicopter, while the Italian Coast Guard – Port Authorities Corps – operating arm of the Ministry of the Environment for protection of marine ecosystems – will take part in the exercise with its own naval and air assets.
