NEWS: POLex 2026 puts ASAP cooperation into action at sea

Almost 200 participants, six partner countries, European agencies and operational teams came together in Koper to test procedures, equipment and cross-border coordination in a realistic marine pollution emergency scenario.

On 23–24 September 2026, the ASAP – Adriatic Sensitive Areas Protection mechanism project brought regional cooperation from procedures to practice during POLex 2026, the international marine pollution response exercise held in Koper, Slovenia.
Hosted by project partner Slovenian Maritime Administration (SMA), POLex 2026 simulated a major hydrocarbon spill in the North Adriatic and involved almost 200 participants, from observers and experts to operational teams representing the six ASAP partner countries, together with European agencies and other participating organisations.
Over two intensive days, participants combined technical exchanges, operational coordination, observation activities and a large-scale exercise at sea, providing an opportunity to test how authorities can work together when a marine pollution emergency crosses national borders.

Testing ASAP tools and procedures in real conditions
One of the main objectives of POLex 2026 was to put key results of the ASAP project to the test in realistic operational conditions.
The Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) developed within the project were successfully tested, helping assess how common procedures can support communication and coordination between authorities during an international response.
CECIS MP 2.0 was also successfully activated and tested, while equipment made available through ASAP, including drifters, was deployed and tested during the exercise.
The experience provided valuable operational feedback while demonstrating the importance of combining procedures, tools and trained professionals to strengthen preparedness across the Adriatic region.

Cooperation in action at sea
The second day moved the exercise fully into the operational phase.
Among the vessels involved were EFCA’s offshore patrol vessel Ocean Sentinel, the Italian Coast Guard vessel Bruno Gregoretti, the Slovenian SPICA tugboat and Slovenian anti-pollution units.
Working together at sea, the teams simulated a coordinated response to marine pollution, including the deployment and connection of anti-pollution booms, putting both equipment and cooperation mechanisms into practice.
Representatives of the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA), European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA) and Frontex also participated in POLex 2026, strengthening the exchange between national authorities and European-level actors involved in maritime safety and coast guard functions.

Building preparedness through people
POLex 2026 was not only about testing equipment and procedures.
A key result of the exercise was the opportunity for professionals from different countries and institutions to work side by side, understand each other’s roles and operational approaches, and strengthen communication and mutual trust.
This human dimension is essential to ASAP’s longer-term objective. Effective cross-border response depends not only on having compatible procedures in place, but also on building the professional relationships that allow authorities to communicate quickly and act together when a real emergency occurs.
POLex 2026 built on the experience of the Adriatic Sea SARex/POLex 2025 exercise held in Dubrovnik, allowing partners to further test and refine cooperation mechanisms and identify lessons for future joint responses.

From project cooperation to a lasting regional network
As ASAP moves towards its final phase, the experience gained through POLex 2026 contributes directly to the project’s ambition to ensure that the cooperation developed over the past years continues beyond its formal lifetime.
The next important milestone will take place in Sarajevo in February 2027, where partners are expected to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) providing a framework for continued cooperation, joint preparedness, expertise-sharing and future exercises.

POLex 2026 demonstrated a simple but important principle at the heart of ASAP: a shared sea requires a shared capacity to respond.
By testing procedures and equipment together, exchanging expertise and strengthening professional networks, ASAP partners are building the foundations for a more coordinated and resilient response to marine pollution emergencies across the Adriatic.