|
 The Non Governmental Organisation HEPCA was founded in 1992
by 12 members representing the diving community of the Red Sea.
HEPCA is part of many and initiator of most project and
campaigns with the goal of protecting and preserving the natural resources of
the Red Sea and Egypt.
The HEPCA Mooring Buoys Project for
Hurghada and Safaga started in 1997 when USAID (the United States Agency for
International Development) joined the EEAA (Egyptian Environmental Affairs
Agency) conservation effort at the Red Sea. The project is part of the ongoing
USAID-funded project for Environmentally Sustainable Tourism (EST).
Hurghada and Safaga boast more than 80 dive sites
in day boat range alone and HEPCA has put moorings on most of them. A
complimentary Boat Captain Training Programme was initiated and is ongoing so
that all boat captains in the area have their environmental awareness raised and
are trained in the proper use of the mooring buoys.
 Resources arrived in the form of a massive
shipment of 250 purpose-built mooring buoys as well as their fittings and
installation equipment. These included hydraulic jackhammers and compressors to
drive a hole through the layer of rock at the sea bed, metal anchor pins and
special underwater cement to secure them to the sea bed. Each reef had already been surveyed by marine
biologists as to how many mooring points to put to make sure the sites are not
over-dived.
HEPCA has since may 2009 new boats
(left) and as they say in their own news letter; "No excuse not to fix broken
mooring lines." These boats will also respond to reports of environmental
offenders. So if you see someone doing something wrong call Amr Ali: 010 63 55
011 and report.
It's hard work to
install moorings. Each mooring required
-
extensive drilling into the rock
face
-
installation of the anchor pin
-
securing with the cement plug
-
load test with a test rig (50 tons
vertical strain)
-
attaching of shackles and buoy at
the surface
The project was successfully completed on time in
August 1997. On completion of the installation work over 250 moorings were
available for boats in Hurghada and Safaga.
Now HEPCA is contracted to install moorings
internationally.
Find more information about HEPCA on
www.hepca.com |
