Considering the number of containers handled at Gdynia Container Terminal each week, it is common sense to assume that dangerous situations may occur. All services should therefore always be operationally ready. Therefore, when in February smoke began to come out of one container with dangerous cargo on the yard, the fire brigade arrived on the spot as soon as possible.

One of the employees of Gdynia Container Terminal noticed that an unknown substance was leaking from one of the sea containers stored at the company's yard in the dangerous cargo sector. The situation was dangerous - an employee reported feeling dizzy, so it was assumed that the container contained chemicals dangerous to people and the environment, not reported in the documents. All this happened in the morning hours of February 28, fortunately only as part of exercises conducted jointly with the Health and Safety Department of Hutchison Ports Gdynia and the Specialist Group of Chemical and Ecological Rescue "Gdynia" of the State Fire Service. Their goal was to check and possibly refine the procedures and rules in force in the terminal in the event of similar events, and to improve rescue and firefighting skills.

In accordance with the applicable procedures, the faulty container from which the mysterious dangerous substance was leaking was first placed in a special tank preventing the chemical agent from entering the environment and the waters of the Gulf of Gdańsk, and then transported to an isolated place. The fire department was also notified.

The vehicles of the Specialist Chemical and Ecological Rescue Group "Gdynia" appeared on the spot. Rescuers started to act, going through the successive elements of the scenario and checking various possible variants of the situation.

– It was established that the substance, according to the information provided, is sodium hydroxide, but the rescuers kept in mind that there may be additional hazards. That is why we have always tried to ensure that the rescuers have a safety level one higher. Recognition was made, rescuers temporarily secured leaks from the bathtub on which the container was placed. Then they got into the container and took measurements. A radioactive source of cesium-137 has been simulated. Rescuers determined that it was a sealed substance. It was possible to temporarily remove it from the container. They could then focus on removing the source of the leak. It turned out that it was one of the IBC containers, i.e. a plastic tank with a capacity of 1 m3, in which there was an aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide – the course of the exercises is described by Capt. Mateusz Szultka from the Fire and Rescue Unit 1 Gdynia Śródmieście, commander of a specialist chemical and ecological rescue group. One of the last elements of the exercise was the pumping of the substance into the emergency container, which was delivered by the container terminal.

– Today we practiced how our internal procedures will work in the event of a dangerous chemical substance being released from a sea container, how employees will behave, whether everything will run properly – comments Maciej Romanowicz, health and safety specialist, port facility security officer at GCT. – I think it went well, but we will still discuss the course of the exercise, all the points, check if everything worked properly – he adds.

As Maciej Romanowicz says, such situations practically do not happen in reality.

– The probability of such situations is very small, but we must be ready for all variants – he assures. Therefore, GCT, in consultation with the services, tries to organize similar exercises at least once or twice a year. – Each time the scenario is different. We practice not only with chemistry, but it can also be work at height, rescue, or typical fire and extinguishing activities.

Such events are also valuable for the firefighters and rescuers themselves, who also want to be ready for all kinds of threats that may arise during terminal operations.

– Our operational planning department tries to be in constant contact with the management of the terminal and other institutions that operate in port areas. We try to organize joint exercises. If these are not strictly operational exercises, involving the operation of hosts, we want to be up to date with what is happening here, what types of materials can be transported, get acquainted with the area of these facilities, the safety procedures that apply here, health and safety regulations – says Szultka.

Interestingly, Gdynia Container Terminal is not located in the area of operations of the Port Fire Brigade, which operates in areas closer to Śródmieście of Gdynia, and precisely the Rescue and Fire Fighting Unit 1 Gdynia.

– When it comes to major events, even if it is the area of the Port Fire Brigade, we still help, whether as ordinary firefighters or as a chemical rescue group. It all depends on what the needs are at the scene. We are available all the time, provides st. Cpt. Szultka.

Gdynia Container Terminal pays great attention to ensuring an appropriate level of security during its operations. Terminal employees regularly train together with the fire brigade and other services. Last year, GCT was also a co-organizer of extensive training of service dogs under the name "Cerberus". The terminal also held exercises on evacuation from heights for crane operators or on the use of AED defibrillators for office workers.