Just how well Bay of Plenty authorities respond to a marine oil spill will be put to the test tomorrow.
Up to 40 staff from agencies including the Bay of Plenty Regional Council will be part of an oil spill exercise at Sulphur Point.
The exercise is expected to help maintain and build oil spill response capability among first responders at the Port of Tauranga.
More than half of those people taking part be regional council staff, with others people representing local iwi, the Department of Conservation, Maritime NZ and Waikato Regional Council.
The exercise will be held between 9am - 4pm from the Tauranga Yacht and Powerboat Club. Details are not being released ahead of then to allow people to react to unknown events but the exercise will involve a significant theoretical oil spill in the bay.