MIRG-EX brings together four Maritime Incident Response Groups, i.e. fire fighter teams specially trained to respond to incidents on board of ships. The teams use a contain and maintain strategy that makes it possible to safely navigate an incident ship to a port of refuge. From there, the incident can be resolved. The partners are currently preparing a full scale exercise to be held in October 2016.

Fire and Rescue Services from Zeeland (NL), Antwerp/Beveren/Ghent (BE), Pas de Calais (FR) and Kent (UK) set up MIRGs in a previous project: MIRG-EU. All teams took part in the same ETE programme and now work according to the same Standard Operational Procedures and use compatible equipment. This way, the teams can work interoperable in case of a long lasting operation.

During the MIRG-EU project, the partners gained knowledge and skills that are of value to other regions that deal with maritime safety issues. The MIRG-EX partners wish to make their MIRGs available through the EU Civil Protection mechanism. In order to learn whether the teams are ready for this assignment, a full scale exercise will be organised to demonstrate that MIRGs are able work within the Civil Protection mechanism. Additional partners from West-Flanders (BE), i.e. the Federal Organisation of Public Civil Assistance, Agency for the Maritime and Coastal Services-Shipping Assistance Division and the Maatschappij van de Brugse Zeehaven nv (Zeebrugge Port Authority) have joined the MIRG-EU partners in this EU Civil Protection project.

In October 2016 all MIRGs will participate in a drill on board a ship at sea and on board a ship in the port of Zeebrugge. Apart from the operations, the cooperation and communication lines between the European, national and regional authorities will be tested. The drill will last 48 hours and will involve authorities responsible for maritime incident response, e.g. the Coast Guard and ERC. A successful exercise will pave the way to become part of the Civil Protection mechanism.

MIRG-EX partners will do everything possible to make this full scale exercise a success.

The planning group is the core group of the MIRG-EX project. The planning group members take all decisions about the set up and running of the exercise. All partners have representatives in the Planning Group. The planning group assigns tasks and duties to the distaff and evaluation group.

The planning group will meet five times during the project.

The Distaff is the control team for the full scale exercise. This team is responsible for the detailed planning, the injects and running of the exercise according to local, national and international standards.

The Evaluation Group does not only evaluate the full scale exercise but also the project as as whole. They have an independent role in the project and the members do not take part in the other groups.

The Monitoring Committee is the body overseeing the results of the project as well as assessing the implications this international collaboration may have for national policies and vice versa.

MIRG-EU was partly financed by the Interreg IVA 2 Seas Programme