NORDEN In October 2026, the German Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (Havariekommando) carried out a drill involving more than 160 personnel off the coast of the East Frisian coastal town of Norden to practise responding to a potential chemical accident. The scenario for the large-scale exercise, known as ‘Wattsturm 2026’, involved a fictional collision between two cargo ships, during which containers carrying hazardous substances and goods fell overboard. Specialised hazardous materials units and all-terrain Hägglunds tracked vehicles were deployed. The exercise also tested the coordination between the emergency services on site. Those involved included the district of Aurich and the Lower Saxony State Agency for Water Management, Coastal Protection and Nature Conservation (NLWKN), fire brigades, the Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW), as well as other authorities and organisations involved in coastal and civil protection. “Overall, the exercise went well and we were able to gain important insights,” said exercise leader Sebastian Kroll from the Havariekommando.
Photo: THW Media Team, Mario Filsinger
