POLex 2026 Strengthens Regional Cooperation in Responding to Environmental Incidents in the Adriatic
SLOVENIA, September 28 - The exercise was based on a simulated hydrocarbon spill in the Northern Adriatic and involved the participation of competent authorities and operational teams from the six ASAP partner countries. Its objective was to assess the alignment of procedures, communication channels and operational response mechanisms in the event of a marine pollution incident with cross-border implications.
The exercise was hosted by the Slovenian Maritime Administration and brought together the collaboration of nearly 200 participants, including operational teams, observers, experts and representatives of competent authorities from the six ASAP partner countries. European agencies and other cooperating organisations also took part in the activities.
The second day of the exercise was dedicated to operational activities at sea. Participating assets included the EFCA (European Fisheries Control Agency) offshore patrol vessel Ocean Sentinel, the Italian Coast Guard vessel Bruno Gregoretti, the Slovenian tugboat SPICA, as well as Slovenian vessels equipped for marine pollution response. The participating units carried out activities in line with the coordinated pollution response scenario, including the deployment and connection of floating anti-pollution booms.
The exercise also provided an opportunity to practically test several key solutions developed or provided within the ASAP project. The project's Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), drifters and other response equipment used during the exercise were successfully tested. The CECIS MP 2.0 system, the European platform for information exchange and coordination during marine pollution incidents, was also activated and tested.
The final evaluation confirmed the importance of effective cooperation between participating institutions and response services. Direct interaction among participants contributed to a better understanding of the roles, procedures and working methods of the various organisations involved, thereby strengthening coordinated response capabilities in cross-border incidents.
The conclusion of POLex 2026 coincided with World Maritime Day, which the International Maritime Organization (IMO) marked this year under the theme “From Policy to Practice: Powering Maritime Excellence.” The theme highlights the importance of turning strategic guidance, policies and procedures into effective operational practice.
For the Executive Secretariat of the Central European Initiative, which coordinates the ASAP partnership, POLex represents another important step towards strengthening regional cooperation in the prevention of and response to environmental emergencies in the Adriatic.
"The true achievement of the ASAP project will not be its completion, but our ability to preserve and further develop the cooperation we have built over all these years into a lasting mechanism for the safety and resilience of the Adriatic," said Ambassador Ivana Pejović, Deputy Secretary General of the SEP Executive Secretariat. "At the SEP Executive Secretariat, we are committed to supporting this process so that the mutual trust, operational capabilities and partnerships established among participating countries become the foundation of long-term regional cooperation. Such cooperation must connect both EU Member States and candidate countries and enable a coordinated response to future challenges."
POLex 2026 builds upon the Adriatic Sea SARex/POLex 2025 exercise, held in Dubrovnik in October 2025. It provided partners with a further opportunity to validate procedures, tools and operational capabilities while contributing to enhanced interoperability among the participating countries.
The experience gained through the ASAP project confirms that preparedness for environmental emergencies depends not only on plans and procedures, but also on the regular implementation of joint exercises, the use of common tools, the exchange of professional expertise and the development of trust among authorities responsible for emergency response.
The completion of the project therefore does not mark the end of cooperation. The partners aim to maintain and further develop the established forms of collaboration and ensure their continuity through a stable framework for training, knowledge exchange and the implementation of joint exercises.
The next partners' meeting will take place in Sarajevo in February 2027, where the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is planned. The agreement will provide the basis for continued cooperation and support for future joint activities.
The Adriatic Sea is a shared maritime space, and its protection requires coordinated action by all coastal states. Maintaining and further developing the cooperation mechanisms established through the ASAP project contributes to strengthening the region's collective capacity to prevent and effectively respond to environmental emergencies.
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