Workshop on risk assessment of gases and volatile HNS

Workshop on risk assessment of gases and volatile HNS (WP4 - T4.4)

On June 4th, 2025, CETMAR Foundation (Vigo, Spain) hosted the “Workshop on risk assessment of gases and volatile substances and the integrated management of marine and terrestrial pollution incidents”, framed in the MANIFESTS Genius project, funded by DG ECHO.

Building on the outcomes of the MANIFESTS project (2021-2023), MANIFESTS GENIUS aims to strengthen preparedness and response capacities for the integrated management of accidental pollution. The project primarily focuses on developing accessible knowledge and tools for end users, facilitating their preparedness and response to the release of hazardous and noxious substances (HNS), including alternative fuels such as ammonia, methanol, and liquefied natural gas (LNG), which in the event of an accident could form toxic gas clouds with explosion risks and/or drift toward the coast, impacting local communities.

The Workshop aimed to present MANIFESTS and MANIFESTS Genius tools by using practical cases, assess the different potential application of the tools during crisis management and promote its use by the organizations attending the event. Scenarios were provided for illustrative purposes.

The Workshop featured the participation of the MANIFEST Genius partners together with experts and professionals from the maritime sector including representatives from Regional and National Coastguard Services (Gardacostas de Galicia, Salvamento Marítimo), Port Authorities (Port of Coruña, Port of Vigo), Maritime Competent Authorities (Ministerio de Transportes, Dirección General de la Marina Mercante, Capitanías Marítimas), Research Institutes (IEO) and Environmental Companies (EuroFins-IPROMA).

Throughout the sessions, speakers could share their knowledge and experiences with 58 attendees, who were able to follow the event either in person or online.

A first presentation by CEDRE, project coordinator, provided an overview of the MANIFESTS & MANIFESTS Genius projects, making emphasis in the vocation of the project to deliver tools that can be transferable and applicable by those in charge of HNS spill preparedness and response. Following a keynote lecture presented by EMSA on the “Challenges from alternative fuels”, the first part of the day focused on the topic “From chemical knowledge to risk assessment” in which RBINS and the IMT presented key resources as the HNS database and different modelling tools (explosion, fire, OSERIT HNS and underwater gas release models). The second part addressed “Public health risk and response” presenting relevant response tools such as the operational field guide on sheltering or evacuation (UKHSA), the MARINER-MANIFESTS Knowledge tool (CETMAR) and the Common Operational Picture Tool (INTECMAR).

The workshop continued in the early afternoon with a session dedicated to present “Training” tools such as the online exercise tool (CETMAR) to facilitate the preparation, development and evaluation of exercises and the Novelious game ((IMT) created to raise awareness and prepare crisis managers to deal with accidental marine pollution by HNS.

The Workshop finalized with an open debate where participants could resolve their doubts and confirmed the interest generated by the project and associated tools and their willingness to further explore their applicability.

The event also counted with the collaboration of the Technological Platform for Coastal and Marine Environment Protection (PROTECMA), coordinated by CETMAR. This platform brings together numerous potential end users of the project’s results, including authorities responsible for responding to accidental pollution, coast guards, port authorities, and technology providers.