HELCOM BALEX and other exercises
Response Exercises
In order to ensure the co-operation in case of a pollution incident the HELCOM Contracting Parties regularly carry out exercises. The exercises range from “paper” exercises to operational exercises.
Most famous are the BALEX exercises, which test the procedures documented in the HELCOM Response Manual and response capability of the Contracting Parties in case of a major accident and an international response operation.
The general objective of the BALEX exercises is to ensure that every Contracting Party is able to lead a major response operation.
BALEX exercises take place each year since late 1980s and are hosted by the Contracting Parties according to a schedule agreed on by the HELCOM Response Working Group. The results of the exercises are also reported to and discussed at the Response Working Group meetings.
List of HELCOM BALEX DELTA exercises since 1990
| Year | Host |
| 2025 | Poland |
| 2024 | Lithuania, Klaipeda, 26-29 August 2024, countries and the EU (oil, HNS tabletop, port, shore, wildlife) Please download and fill in by 15 September 2024 and send to balexdelta2024@mil.lt: 1) After Action Review (AAR) form for participants and observers of the shore and wildlife exercises and OneX (HNS workshop) 2) First Impression Report (FIR) for participants of the port and at sea exercises |
| 2023 | Latvia (oil, HNS tabletop, shore) (watch film) |
| 2022 | Germany, (HNS, oil, shore) (watch film) |
| 2021 | Finland, 7 countries and the EU, 17 ships, 2 aircraft (watch film) |
| 2020 | Estonia (only at sea due to COVID -19); 6 countries and the EU, 14 ships, 1 aircraft, 1 helicopter (watch film) |
| 2019 | Denmark (oil; shore); 8 countries |
| 2018 | Sweden (oil and chemical; shore and OWR); 8 countries and the EU, 18 ships, 1 aircraft, 1 helicopter. Read more on the project page (watch film) |
| 2017 | Russia (oil; shore); 5 countries, 16 ships, 3 helicopters |
| 2016 | Lithuania (oil; shore), 8 countries, 14 ships |
| 2015 | Poland (oil; shore), 8 countries, 21 ships (watch film) |
| 2014 | Latvia (oil; shore), 7 countries, 16 ships, 1 aircraft, 1 helicopter (watch film) |
| 2013 | Germany (oil; towing) 8 countries + EMSA, 23 ships, 2 aircraft, 1 helicopter |
| 2012 | Finland (oil; shore and OWR) 7 countries + EMSA, 20 ships (see more) |
| 2011 | Denmark (oil; shore and OWR) 8 countries + EMSA, 14 ships, 1 aircraft |
| 2010 | Lithuania; 7 countries + EMSA, 7 ships (watch film) |
| 2009 | Latvia (oil) 5 countries + EMSA, 9 ships |
| 2008 | Russia (oil, SAR, fire fight) 6 countries +EMSA, 17 ships, 2 helicopters |
| 2007 | Estonia (oil) 6 countries + EMSA, 17 ships, 1 helicopter (watch film) |
| 2006 | Poland (oil) 7 countries + EMSA, 23 ships, 3 aircraft (watch film) |
| 2005 | Sweden (oil) 7 countries, 19 ships, 2 aircraft (watch film) |
| 2004 | Germany (oil) 6 countries, 11 ships, 1 aircraft (watch film) |
| 2003 | Finland (oil) 5 countries, 16 ships |
| 2002 | Latvia (oil) 6 countries, 18 ships, 2 aircraft |
| 2001 | Denmark (oil) 7 countries, 11 ships, 2 aircraft |
| 2000 | Russia (oil; shore) 5 countries, 12 ships, 1 aircraft |
| 1999 | Lithuania (oil; shore) |
| 1998 | Poland (HNS) |
| 1997 | Estonia (oil) |
| 1996 | Sweden (HNS) |
| 1995 | Germany (oil) |
| 1994 | Finland (oil; ice conditions) |
| 1993 | Germany (oil ; aircraft control) |
| 1992 | USSR (oil: rescue/salvage ) |
| 1991 | Denmark (oil; offshore installations) |
| 1990 | Poland (oil) |
