SuperCEPCO 2025 Kicks Off at Amsterdam-Schiphol

Amsterdam, 24 November 2025 — A multinational aerial surveillance drill is underway in the Netherlands this week as part of SuperCEPCO 2025, a large-scale pollution-control exercise involving several European countries. Aircraft taking part in the operation touched down at Amsterdam–Schiphol Airport early in the afternoon of 24 November, gathering in the Netherlands Coast Guard facilities for a joint briefing that set the stage for two days of coordinated missions.

Throughout 25–26 November, participating crews will fly from Schiphol to patrol the Dutch sector of the North Sea, maintaining nearly continuous observation over the busy maritime region. Aircraft have been positioned on the eastern flight line near the Coast Guard hangar, with non-resident crews scheduled to depart on 27 November.

SuperCEPCO—short for Coordinated Extended Pollution Control Operations—is designed to test how well Bonn Agreement member states can jointly monitor marine traffic, detect potential pollution, and enforce international regulations such as MARPOL, which governs discharges from vessels. The Greater North Sea and the Bay of Biscay are divided into surveillance zones overseen by the Agreement’s ten participating coastal nations.

The exercise combines aerial patrols, satellite support from the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA), and coordinated handovers between aircraft to ensure an unbroken 48-hour watch. Organisers say the focus is not only on detecting illegal discharges but also on refining cooperation procedures and ensuring smooth transitions between national units.

A previous edition of the drill, hosted by Norway in 2021, yielded 15 missions and four confirmed cases of pollution.

This year’s event proceeds despite the withdrawal of France, Belgium and Ireland, while Estonia is taking part as an observer. Participating aircraft for 2025 include: