The Canary Islands Government has declared the marine pollution risk episode that had put the port of Gran Tarajal, in the municipality of Tuineje on the island of Fuerteventura, on alert has ended. The Directorate General of Emergencies lifted the pre-alert status of the Canary Islands Autonomous Community's Territorial Emergency Plan for Civil Protection (PLATECA) at 14:30 p.m. this Thursday, after the latest inspection confirmed that the danger had completely disappeared.
The incident began Wednesday afternoon when the Emergency and Security Coordination Center (CECOES) 1-1-2 received a report from the Canary Islands Port Authority (Puertos Canarios) about a leak in a vessel docked at the pier. Although authorities stated that no spill into the sea had been detected, the possibility of the situation worsening led to the activation of established prevention protocols for this type of contingency.
Activation of emergency protocols
At 20:20 p.m. on Wednesday, Puertos Canarios activated the Maritime Internal Plan (PIM) in its emergency phase , a measure that allows for the coordination of available resources within the port itself to address potential spills. Shortly afterward, at 20:48 p.m., the Maritime Authority reported the activation of the National Maritime Plan in its alert phase, a nationwide mechanism that is implemented when an emergency may require the intervention of external resources. Given this situation, the Canary Islands Government's Directorate General of Emergencies decided to activate PLATECA in a pre-alert status at 22:00 p.m., with the aim of ensuring coordination between the various administrations and having all the necessary resources available to continuously monitor the incident's evolution.
During the following hours, inspection teams worked to assess the condition of the vessel and verify that there were no leaks. Emergency services maintained surveillance in the area, while the regional government emphasized that the activation of the emergency plans was a preventative measure, as confirmed by official sources.
Deactivation after confirmation of the absence of spills
The latest inspection carried out at the port of Gran Tarajal confirmed that the risk of marine pollution had completely disappeared. According to the regional department, the decision to lift the pre-alert was made once it was confirmed that there was no risk whatsoever to the marine environment . As of 14:30 p.m. this Thursday, the General Directorate of Emergencies declared the PLATECA pre-alert status over, and simultaneously, the Maritime Authority deactivated both the port's Internal Maritime Plan and the National Maritime Plan, which had been in the alert phase.
During the time the device was active, no spills were recorded, nor were any signs of pollution observed in the port waters. The rapid intervention of the emergency services and the coordination between the different administrations were key to preventing the incident from escalating. The event ended up being just a scare, but it has served to test the response mechanisms for potential episodes of marine pollution on the Canary Islands' coasts.
The port of Gran Tarajal, located on the east coast of Fuerteventura, is one of the island's most important port infrastructures, handling both cargo and passenger traffic. This type of incident, even though it did not have environmental consequences in this instance, serves as a reminder of the importance of maintaining well-defined operating protocols and constant monitoring to protect marine ecosystems.
The deactivation of all emergency plans marks the definitive end of this incident, which was resolved without any damage or impact on the environment. Authorities have sought to reassure the public, emphasizing that there was no actual contamination at any point and that the activation of the protocols was a preventative measure to ensure safety.
With this resolution, an operation that proceeded without incident is brought to an end, demonstrating the effectiveness of the prevention and coordination systems in the Canary Islands to deal with potential marine pollution emergencies.
