PMSA has been maintaining a vigil over EEZ through regular air surveillance and surface patrolling against any impending threats of pollution etc. PMSA in coordination with all other stakeholders also conducts oil spill containment exercise at sea.

     After the catastrophic incident of massive spillage of oil at Karachi by MV Tasman Spirit in 2003, a need was felt for formulation of a comprehensive Anti Pollution Plan. Subsequently, PMSA prepared a draft National Oil Spill Contingency Plan.  A comprehensive National Marine Disaster Contingency Plan was proposed to cater for all marine disasters including pollution from Oil, Search and Rescue and Salvage Operations at sea.  The National Oil Spill Contingency Plan (NOSCP) was incorporated in this plan.  The plan called ‘National Marine Disaster Contingency Plan’ was approved in 2007. The execution of ‘National Marine Disaster Contingency Plan’ is ordered by Pakistan Maritime Disaster Management Board (PMDMB) which is responsible to take policy decisions and the plan is executed by a single Maritime Disaster Response Committee (MDRC).  The response committee is meant to coordinate the efforts to deal with the disaster from Disaster Response Centre (DRC) established at HQ PMSA.  The Disaster Response Centre is manned round the clock by PMSA staff.  In case of execution of any part of National Marine Disaster Contingency Plan (NMDCP), all members of National Marine Disaster Response Centre (NMDRC) assemble in Disaster Response Centre to deal with the issue at hand.  Overall activities are coordinated by PMSA. As this responsibility has been assigned to PMSA, we are in the process of planning to acquire vessels, helicopters and equipment required for Pollution control and SAR.

     On 24 -25 March 09, Pakistan Maritime Security Agency in coordination with other stake holders, conducted a practical Anti-Oil Spill Exercise at sea named exercise ‘BARRACUDA’   The exercise was aimed at rehearsing the anti-oil spill procedures and contingency mechanism. NHQ conducted a Table Top Exercise (TTX) Sea Horse-II on 22 Dec 10. Various organizations i.e. Naval Headquarters, HQ Commander Pakistan Fleet, Karachi Port Trust and Port Qasim Authority particpated in the Exercise. The purpose of the Exercise was to test and rehearse procedures as per NMDCP without movement of physical assets.