China conducts first dedicated marine biofuel spill response drill in Tangshan

China’s Tangshan Maritime Safety Administration (MSA) on Thursday (10 September) conducted the country’s first dedicated emergency response exercise for a marine biofuel spill at Jingtang Port in Tangshan, Bohai Sea.

The “2026 Green Power Mission” exercise simulated a leak of 10 metric tonnes of biodiesel from a vessel experiencing a spill during cargo operations at a terminal. 

Following the incident report, the Tangshan MSA’s vessel traffic management centre activated its emergency response procedures, issued a navigation warning and established a traffic control area.

The maritime patrol vessel Haixun 04501 arrived at the scene to coordinate the response, involving a drone unit, an oil spill response vessel and terminal emergency personnel.

A drone equipped with fluorescence detection equipment was deployed to identify the contaminated area. Terminal personnel used oil recovery equipment, while response vessels deployed containment booms to limit the spread of the spill and spraying equipment to remove the surface oil film.

The exercise also trialled the use of 355-nanometre ultraviolet light combined with drone-mounted fluorescence detection equipment to locate biodiesel contamination.

The Tangshan MSA said unlike conventional fuel oil, biodiesel spill traces can be difficult to identify by eye under natural light. The fluorescence detection system can identify biodiesel’s characteristic fluorescence signal, enabling responders to determine the spill boundary and support subsequent containment and recovery operations.

While biodiesel is biodegradable and has a lower sulphur content than conventional fuel oil, its behaviour following a spill and the methods required to detect it differ from those used for conventional oil spills, the MSA said.

The exercise tested response procedures covering incident reporting, aerial monitoring, surface containment, spill recovery and residual pollution removal.

The Tangshan MSA said it will use the exercise to improve biofuel spill emergency response plans, specialist training and equipment development as part of its “Green Bohai Sea” initiative.

The authority will also strengthen pollution risk prevention and accident response capabilities for vessels using new and clean energy fuels, it said.

Photo credit: Tangshan Maritime Safety Administration
Published: 16 September, 2026