Collision planned

Two boats are expected to collide in Victoria Harbour this month, but onlookers shouldn’t be too concerned as the collision is part of an emergency management exercise.

City of Melbourne is running  “Exercise Afloat” in Victoria Harbour on May 22 and will simulate a vessel collision, which will require the response of multiple agencies.

According to a council spokesperson, the aim of the exercise is to practise and test the City of Melbourne’s field responses and management of a major emergency situation.

The exercise will unfold in real time and will involve Victoria Police, Metropolitan Fire Brigade, VICSES, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Transport Planning and Local Infrastructure, Ambulance Victoria and City of Melbourne staff.

The spokesperson said the scene would be “quite dramatic” and council plans to inform surrounding businesses and residents of the exercise so they were aware it wasn’t a real emergency.

“Exercise Afloat” is the first field and deployment exercise Council has organised and led.

It also held a sit-down emergency management session in Docklands with various emergency services in May last year called “Exercise Mazu”, which also dealt with a major boat collision in Victoria Harbour.