Ténès, 30 June 2025
As part of its strategy to strengthen maritime safety culture and prevent operational risks, Hyproc, a subsidiary of the SONATRACH Group specializing in hydrocarbons maritime transport , conducted a simulation exercise offshore, simulating a complex maritime incident aboard the LNG carrier “Barga 2,” off the coast of Ténès, in the wilaya of Chlef.
The objective of this exercise was to assess the teams’ response to emergency situations and stimulate operational coordination with various institutional partners, including the Coast Guard and Civil Protection.
According to the scenario, following the detection of a gas leak in the vessel’s compressor room, the automatic shutdown system was activated, the ventilation system was shut down, and the electrical system was completely isolated.
An explosion occurred, causing a fire in the compressor room, accompanied by a thick cloud of black smoke. The water mist extinguishing system was triggered in an attempt to control the flames. Due to the high risk of explosion and the failure of the safety valves, the captain ordered the vessel’s evacuation in accordance with the emergency plan, using lifeboats to ensure the safety of the crew.
As part of this exercise, Coast Guard units and maritime tugs equipped with firefighting systems responded to surround the vessel, cool the tanks, and contain the fire.
The exercise also aimed to test the effectiveness of Hyproc’s response system to incidents of leakage, fire, and explosion on board of LNG carriers, to stimulate coordination between the crew, the Coast Guard, and firefighting teams, as well as to review the evacuation and rescue procedures to ensure human lives safety, limit environmental damage, and evaluate the performance of the maritime communications system for transmitting alerts and coordinating interventions.
The exercise highlighted the crew’s professionalism and the effectiveness of cooperation between the various stakeholders, with a rapid response and effective measures preventing the situation from escalating, thus demonstrating the company’s ability to deal with this type of emergency scenario. With this exercise, the SONATRACH group, through its subsidiary Hyproc, reaffirms its constant commitment to developing an efficient response system, complying with international maritime safety standards, guaranteeing the protection of human lives, property and the marine environment, while ensuring the reliability of maritime hydrocarbon transport operations.