Exercise Snowdon, will be conducted by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) with more than 200 people taking part, representing over 25 agencies and organisations.

The exercise will test the interaction between the MCA, local ports, and organisations that provide emergency services around North Wales. It will test national and local authorities and emergency services preparedness for a major maritime incident in the area. The Exercise will include search and rescue operations and counter pollution activities. The exercise will be conducted in real time throughout both days, with only the initial key incidents pre-planned.

The search and rescue phase will be co-ordinated from Her Majesty's Coastguard Co-ordination Centre at Holyhead. A Salvage Control Unit and a Marine Response Cell will be set up locally for the exercise in order to deal with the "pseudo" oil recovery at sea.

The local authorities will set up a rest centre and a shoreline counter pollution response centre. The `media' will be played by journalists from a real media training company and will be joined by press officers from the Central Office of Information. They will be based at a media centre at the Treaddur Bay Hotel in Holyhead and will replicate the pressures of reporting on such a large incident.

Exercise Director, Peter Morris says, "Exercise Snowdon will be one of the largest maritime emergency and counter pollution exercises ever to be held in the UK. Local and national oil spill contingency plans of the participating authorities will be exercised to test the alerting, mobilisation and management of resources for search and rescue and the welfare of survivors; counter pollution at sea and on the shoreline and marine emergency salvage operations."

John Garner, Head of Operations at the MCA says, "Exercises of this kind are invaluable in testing the MCA's search and rescue, counter pollution and salvage procedures during a major incident at sea. We will be building on experience gained during recent incidents, such as the grounding of the `Dole America' off the Isle of Wight, and the `Multitank Ascania' fire on board a chemical tanker in the Pentland Firth. Also from previous national exercises such as Exercise Dalriada in the Clyde, Exercise Humex in Humber and, more recently, 'Exercise Kernow' last year in Falmouth.

"Exercise Snowdon will use live assets including RNLI lifeboats, Sea King helicopters from the Royal Air Force at Valley, and oil spill response equipment will be deployed at sea and near the shoreline to provide actual booming in certain areas."

Alan Williams for Anglesey County Council Emergency Planning Team says, "This is a vital test of the MCA's new National Contingency Plan. The County and District Councils are proud to be taking a lead role in this Exercise.

"The emergency planning departments, in liaison with many other organisations, aim to ensure the safety of the public and the protection of our coastal environment."

Bill Murphy, Divisional Officer for the North Wales Fire Service says, "The Fire Service welcome the opportunity to work closely with other agencies and it does give us the chance to test out in detail our various contingency plans for dealing with this type of emergency."

A spokesperson for North Wales Police says, "We are looking forward to playing our part in this extensive exercise and welcome the opportunity to carry out our role along with the other emergency services who would be, by necessity, involved in an incident such as this."