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Libya Hosts the Mediterranean International Conference on Marine and Coastal Biodiversity

13 avril 2025/dans Actualités /par Communication team

Tripoli, April 12, 2025 – Today, WestMED’s Libyan National Coordinator and member of the WestMED Initiative Steering Committee, Eng. Ali Shagrune participated alongside Dr. Saber Al-Azzabi, Deputy Minister of Marine Wealth, in the Mediterranean International Conference on Marine and Coastal Biodiversity, held in Tripoli, Libya.

During the conference, the Libyan delegation delivered an intervention highlighting the importance of preserving biodiversity in the Mediterranean Sea, as well as Libya’s role in marine environmental protection and expanding marine protected areas. The presentation also addressed current environmental challenges to marine biodiversity in the region and stressed the importance of regional cooperation within the WestMED framework to achieve shared sustainability goals.

The intervention reaffirmed Libya’s commitment to supporting international and regional efforts to strengthen marine environmental governance and integrate biodiversity into blue economy policies.

For more information, visit the event webpage or the facebook page

WestMED Steering Committee meeting in Brussels 2025 with participants in a meeting room

WestMED Steering Committee gathers in Brussels to discuss progress and road ahead

12 avril 2025/dans Actualités /par Communication team

The recent WestMED Steering Committee meeting held on 9 April 2025 marked a significant moment of transition and collaboration among Mediterranean partners.

The new co-presidency, now held by Tunisia and Portugal, was warmly welcomed, and gratitude extended to Mauritania for its previous leadership.

Continuing momentum
The discussions emphasized the importance of continuing the momentum with strategic initiatives like the Ocean Pact and a reinforced focus on blue skills, ocean literacy, and sustainable development. DG MARE highlighted past achievements, including 115 project ideas—45 of which secured funding totalling €71 million—underscoring the need for even greater ambition.

Several upcoming events such as the European Maritime Day in Cork, the UN Ocean Conference (UNOC), and Macro-regional days in Brussels were noted as platforms for further engagement and showcasing WestMED initiatives.

Key themes
Key themes across national contributions included the strengthening of cooperation between the northern and southern shores of the Mediterranean, addressing regional disparities, and better aligning project funding with strategic priorities.

Countries like Spain and Italy emphasized joint efforts in sustainable fisheries, maritime connectivity, and climate adaptation, while Morocco and Libya stressed the need for more tailored support and financial mechanisms to meet southern countries’ needs. The Technical Groups (TGs), especially on green shipping, blue skills, aquaculture, and sustainable tourism, were recognized as essential vehicles for delivering tangible outcomes.

However, calls were made for stronger coordination, evaluation systems, and pilot actions to ensure more cohesive and impactful implementation. A clear consensus emerged around the importance of inclusivity, shared expertise, and building a resilient, innovative, and balanced Blue Economy across the Mediterranean.

WestMED Technical Groups
A core focus part of this Steering Committee meeting was to assess the status and achievements of each WestMED Technical Group (TG): Green Shipping and Ports, AquaWEST, Sustainable Tourism and Maritime Cluster Alliance, with a showcase of successful projects supported by the TGs. A particular emphasis was placed on blue skills, blue careers, and ocean literacy, highlighting relevant initiatives and activities facilitated by the TGs.

WestMED Stakeholder Conference 2025
It was agreed that the next WestMED Stakeholder Conference will take place on November 28 2025 in Tunis, Tunisia. It will also include the 3rd edition of the WestMED projects awards.
The Conference will be back-to-back to an in-person Steering Committee meeting on November 27.

Next WestMED Steering Committee Meeting
The Steering Committee members, Observers, the Commission and the Assistance Mechanism will gather again next 26^th June online.

The EU Sea Basins Assistance Mechanism shares results with the Member State Expert Group on Integrated Maritime Policy

1 avril 2025/dans Actualités /par Communication team

On March 20, 2025, the EU Sea Basins Assistance Mechanism presented their work at the meeting of the ‘Member State Expert Group on Integrated Maritime Policy.’

Results were highlighted for each of the three participating Sea Basin Strategies: the WestMED Initiative, the Atlantic Maritime Strategy, and the Common Maritime Agenda for the Black Sea. Next to this, synergies between the sea basins were also highlighted as they face common challenges and opportunities in fields such as Blue Skills, Sustainable Tourism and the Greening of Shipping & Ports.

The presentation was followed by a dynamic question and answer session where also the possible role of the Sea Basin Strategies was discussed for implementing the future European Oceans Pact.

The Integrated Maritime Policy Expert Group
The Integrated Maritime Policy Expert Group is a body established by the European Commission to support the implementation of the Integrated Maritime Policy (IMP).

This policy aims to provide a more coherent approach to maritime issues by fostering coordination across different sectors and policies. The group brings together experts from EU Member States to discuss and advise on maritime governance, sustainable development of marine resources, and other related topics.

Member State Expert Groups are consultative bodies within the European Commission that provide advice and expertise to the Commission on various policy areas. They are typically composed of experts appointed by EU governments and other stakeholders. These groups play a crucial role in the preparation of legislative acts, policy initiatives, and the implementation of EU laws

Marta Pascual presenting at WestMED's national 2025 event on Tourism in Spain

Spanish WestMED National event 2025: Opportunities and Future of Blue Tourism in Spain

1 avril 2025/dans Actualités /par National Hub Spain

On 12 March 2025, the Spanish National Event of the WestMED Initiative took place in Madrid at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation.

The event, from 9:00-14:00 CET, gathered around 56 participants from various sectors of tourism activities, from consultants, to hospitality, tour operators, service and products providers, marketing, maritime tourism businesses, recreational sectors, regional tourism authorities, and fisheries sector amongst others.

In terms of representativeness, the event was attended by stakeholders from all coastal Autonomous Communities from Spain, excluding Ceuta, Melilla and Cantabria. Most participants came from the Madrid region, but the event also gathered participants from Andalucia, Valencia, Balearic Islads, Murcia, Canary Islands, Galicia, Cataluña, Basque Country and Asturias.

Event Objective
The event had the objective of presenting and discussing about current and future opportunities for Blue Tourism within Spain. To steer this conversation, main initiatives and ministries were invited as speakers to present the work they are doing regarding sustainable tourism within Spain. Two projects (one funded by the EU and a national one) were also invited to showcase how they are also advancing towards these blue tourism efforts.

Opening
The event started with some opening and welcome words from Mr. Antonio Rodríguez de Lievana Sahagún, Director General of Coordination of Internal Markets and other Communitarian Policies from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation (MAUC). Mr. Rodríguez de Liévana, expressed the views from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation with regards to blue economy as the ministry is very aware that the activities linked to the sea must be sustainable from the social, economic and environmental point of view and that they represent a valuable source of wealth and a fundamental asset for the settlement of the population. He then continued to explain that the event gathered representatives of the different administrations and other actors of the blue economy with the aim of having the opportunity to talk to each other about the challenges we face and the tools we have available to reach these blue economy objectives.

With regards to blue tourism, Mr. Rodríguez de Lievana, expressed the wish for a promising future for blue tourism in Spain, with a growth potential that could benefit both the local economy and environmental conservation, if managed in a responsible and sustainable manner. He also mentioned “With the right approach, this type of tourism can become an engine of economic development in coastal regions, as long as the balance between the enjoyment of natural resources and their preservation is respected.”

WestMED Initiative
After these opening words, the WestMED Initiative was presented by the National Hub from Spain for the WestMED Initiative, Mrs. Marta Pascual, who highlighted the efforts that WestMED Initiative is doing with regards to developing a sustainable tourism activity within the Mediterranean Sea. Mrs. Pascual also explained the recent developments of the newly constituted Technical Group on Sustainable Tourism within WestMED and presented some of the tasks, activities and achievements obtained by this technical group so far.

Sea Basin Strategies
The event was followed by an intervention from Mr. Javier Fernández, from ECORYS and Coordinator of the three of the Assistance Mechanisms of the EU Sea Basin Strategies. Mr. Fernández explained further opportunities, synergies and cooperation mechanisms that currently exist; not only within each of the Sea Basins, but also between the three Sea Basins (Western Mediterranean, Atlantic and Black Sea and potentially also with the new Greater North Sea Initiative). He also mentioned opportunities to link with the Union for the Medieterranean (UfM) and other Mediterranean Governance efforts.

UfM Study
Mr. Fernández talk was followed by an intervention from Mrs. Irene Alonso from ECORYS, who presented the latest findings from the study on the Implementation Roadmap of the Ministerial Declaration on Sustainable Blue Economy 2021. She highlighted those findings within the study related to blue tourism and highlighted that, despite being an important sector within the Mediterranean, many future opportunities are also envisioned.

Blue Book presentation
The event continued with the presentation of the “Blue Book” of Sun&Blue Congress by the Director of the congress, Mr. Tim Ott Reuter. This book is the compilation of the main outputs, messages and points that were raised during the 2^nd edition of the Sun&Blue Congress, which highlights all the topics that need to be aligned to obtain a real sustainable tourism (from energy, to water management, hospitality sustainability, diversification of experiences, efficiency of the processes, etc.).

After these intro speeches, the event had a short 30 min coffee break after which it was the turn of the various Ministries representatives to offer their perspective and knowledge on how blue tourism was addressed within their respective institutions.

Touristic offers in Spain
The first of the Ministries to take the floor was the Ministry of Industry and Tourism. Mrs. Ilona Shekyants Kazaryan, Subdirector general of sustainable touristic developments, mentioned the various efforts that MINTUR is doing with regards to promote and develop sustainable practices, activities and experiences within the touristic offers of Spain. She also mentioned the funding calls that the Ministry has launched within “Experiencias Turismo” for further advancing and developing some of these sustainable ideas into tourism products and offers.

Pesca Tourism
After Mrs. Shekyants intervention it was time for Mr. Manuel Pablos López, Subdirector general of economic sustainability and social affairs from the General Secretary of Fisheries from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Aquaculture. Mr. Pablos López explained the efforts that within the MAPA they are developing towards pesca-tourism and maritime tourism activities. Both activities being of tourism, but having the fisheries sector, their traditions and culture always as driver of those tourist offers. He also highlighted the funding opportunities that exist for blue tourism activities within the EMFAF funding opportunities.

Spanish Maritime Cluster
After these two ministries speeches it was the turn for the Spanish Maritime Cluster to present the activities, they are developing and supporting with regards to sustainable tourism. Mr. Vicente Capell, explained the efforts the cluster was supporting with regards to the recreational tourism activities, decarbonization of recreational vessels and nautical ports, etc.

Tourism and MSP
Blue Tourism, being a maritime activity that occurs at Spanish coastlines and maritime spaces, also requires some allocation of space within the maritime spatial plans. As such, the event was followed up by the interesting intervention of Mrs. Aurora Mesa Fraile, Chief of the Maritime Spatial Planning from the Ministry of Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge, who explained how the Spanish maritime spatial plans have been designed, what are their next steps and how the blue tourism sector has been incorporated into the needs and designs of these plans.

Blue Tourism Project examples
The event closed with the presentation of two interesting projects that deal with blue tourism within Spain. One from the Atlantic fringe and another one from the Mediterranean perspective.

Mrs. María Cardeiro López, manager of FUNDAMAR (Fundación para la Pesca y el Marisqueo) and Project manager of FISATUR (Red Atlántica de Experiencias Turísticas para la promoción del patrimonio cultural marítimo pesquero), explained the project´s objectives, main achievements and future activities.

Mrs. Nayra Irga Pérez Sánchez and Shonia Cruz, from REDDETUMAR, presented the Red Nacional Turismo Marinero, a national network of maritime tourism activities within Spain that aims to gather all maritime tourism activities, offers and developments to serve as a real diversification option for fishermen to earn some extra income.

Concluding remarks
The concluded by Mr. Omado Collado Díaz and Mrs. Rosa Bernardo, both National Coordinators from the WestMED Initiative and the Atlantic Action Plan, respectively, and from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation (MAUC). They both thanked those present at the event and highlighted the efforts that the WestMED Initiative is and will keep doing with regards to advancing on sustainable tourism opportunities within the blue economy in Spain.

Main next steps

Encourage an interministerial communication within all Ministries dealing with sustainable tourism topics within Spain (MAUC, MAPA, Hacienda, MITECO, etc.)
Encourage communication and connections between sustainable tourism stakeholders within Spain.

Click here for the full agenda and event annnouncement page (in Spanish)

Links to media coverage

https://x.com/WestMedStrat/status/1896953392075026552

https://www.turismomarinero.com/evento-westmed-oportunidades-y-futuro-del-turismo-azul/

https://winbigproject.eu/events/28/national-event-westmed-opportunities-and-future-of-blue-tourism-in-spain

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/sun-blue-congress_sunandbluecongress-turismo-turismoazul-ugcPost-7305540744797159424-Msv-?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAhRFRwB4YBy4noC0QYjbj0Fkc0NLtEmRK4

https://regp.pesca.mapama.es/visibilidad/eventos/evento-nacional-iniciativa-westmed-oportunidades-y-futuro-del-turismo-azul-en

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/marta-pascual-51088b3a_evento-nacional-iniciativa-westmed-oportunidades-activity-7303707516566138884-MApq?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAhRFRwB4YBy4noC0QYjbj0Fkc0NLtEmRK4

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/marta-pascual-51088b3a_evento-nacional-iniciativa-westmed-oportunidades-activity-7302361086945583105-Ke8E?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAhRFRwB4YBy4noC0QYjbj0Fkc0NLtEmRK4

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/sun-blue-congress_agenda-eventos-nacional-westmed-12-de-marzo-activity-7302967512361558016-dt_5?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAhRFRwB4YBy4noC0QYjbj0Fkc0NLtEmRK4

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/fundacion-fundamar_fisatur-turismoazul-westmed-activity-7305594957380173824-RgYI?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAhRFRwB4YBy4noC0QYjbj0Fkc0NLtEmRK4

Blue Summer schools in the Mediterranean 2025

27 mars 2025/dans Actualités /par Communication team

Based on source: Marilou Suc (blue connection)

Do you want to deepen your knowledge in marine robotics, oceanography, blue economy, or Mediterranean geopolitics? And… Are you a student, a recent graduate, an Early Career Ocean Professional, or an experienced ocean professional seeking extra knowledge?

Then these Summer Schools might be just for you.

They offer unique experiences combining theory, hands-on practice, and networking! 𝗕𝗲 𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗸, 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁! Secure your spot and apply!

In order of application deadline:

𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹: 𝗢𝗰𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗟𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘆 & 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗲𝗮𝗻 & 𝗕𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗦𝗲𝗮 (Venice, Italy)
📅 June 29 – July 4, 2025 | Apply by March 16
🔹 Lead a cultural shift in ocean science, advancing transdisciplinarity, equity, inclusion, diverse knowledge systems, and international cooperation.

𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗥𝗼𝗯𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 (Faial, Azores, Portugal)
📅 July 7-18, 2025 | Apply by March 25
🔹 Intensive training on marine robotics with MIT & Portuguese university students.

𝗘𝗜𝗚𝗦𝗜 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 Ocean & Energy (La Rochelle, France)
📅 June 23 – July 3, 2025 | Apply by March 28
🔹 Hands-on experience in ocean and natural resource management.

𝗦𝘆𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 – 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗲𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀/𝘀𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗲 (Ischia, Italy)
📅 June 30 – July 4, 2025 | Apply by May 5
🔹 Morning lectures, afternoon debates, and evening networking sessions.

𝗔𝗭𝗧𝗜 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 – 𝗔𝗜 & 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗻 𝗦𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗕𝗶𝗼𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆 (Pasaia, Spain)
📅 June 3-5, 2025 | Apply by May 30
🔹 Learn how AI and citizen science can transform marine biodiversity monitoring.

𝗕𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗮 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 – 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀 & 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗲𝗮𝗻 & 𝗠𝗶𝗱𝗱𝗹𝗲 𝗘𝗮𝘀𝘁 (Barcelona, Spain)
📅 June 30 – July 4, 2025 | Apply by June 27
🔹 Explore key political and economic issues of the region.

𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹: 𝗢𝗰𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗟𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘆 & 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗲𝗮𝗻 & 𝗕𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗦𝗲𝗮 (Venice, Italy)
📅 June 29 – July 4, 2025| Apply by March 16
🔹 Lead a cultural shift in ocean science, advancing transdisciplinarity, equity, inclusion, diverse knowledge systems, and international cooperation

Strategic Cooperation between CallMEBLUE and MEDBAN

25 mars 2025/dans Actualités /par Communication team

On 18 March 2025, CALLMEBLUE (Cluster Alliance Med Blue) and MedBAN (Mediterranean Blue Acceleration Network) formalized their collaboration through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Strategic Cooperation.

This agreement marks a significant milestone in strengthening synergies between these maritime cluster initiatives, both of whom are committed to fostering sustainable innovation and advancing the Blue Economy across the Mediterranean region through supporting sustainable blue startups and SMEs

The MoU was signed during the MedBAN Final Conference 2025, a key event bringing together stakeholders from across the blue economy ecosystem. The agreement establishes a framework for long-term cooperation, facilitating the exchange of knowledge, best practices, and support services for SMEs in the sector.

The document was officially signed by Ruben Eiras, Secretary General of Fórum Oceano (Lead partner of MedBAN) and Lidia Rossi, Managing Director, ForMare – Polo Nazionale per lo Shipping (Lead partner of CallmeBLUE).

Together, CallmeBLUE and MedBAN are committed to driving innovation, digitalization, and resilience in the blue economy, supporting SMEs, and fostering strategic partnerships for a more sustainable future.

WestMED support
Both initiatives have been and are actively supported by the WestMED Initiative. Not only through WestMED’s Maritime Cluster Alliance, but also ongoing with Stephanie Vella (WestMED’s National Hub Malta), being an official MedBAN ambassador and Lorella Ciutti (WestMED’s National Hub Portugal), being MedBAN’s project coordinator.

More about CALLMEBLUE | More about MedBAN

Ufm Mediterranean pavillion stand with people passing by at an exhibition

UfM and Interreg NEXT MED renew commitment to tackle regional challenges together

13 mars 2025/dans Actualités /par Communication team

12 March 2025, Barcelona – The Union for the Mediterranean and Interreg NEXT MED, the largest EU-funded transnational cooperation programme promoting socioeconomic development and environmental initiatives in the Mediterranean Basin, have reached an agreement formally extending collaboration between both parties for at least another three years.

The Memorandum of Understanding, which highlights how both Euro-Mediterranean institutions strive to reinforce political, socioeconomic, and cultural ties in the region, was signed by UfM Secretary General Nasser Kamel and Director General of the Interreg NEXT MED Programme Giovanna Medde. The agreement, significantly, foresees mutual participation in events and conferences and, when relevant, extends invitations to participate in internal meetings as observers. It will also see the organisations continue to exchange information on projects of common interest, identify joint coordination actions and raise awareness of regional challenges together.

“The UfM and Interreg NEXT MED are united by the common goal of enhanced dialogue and cooperation between Mediterranean countries. The indisputable success of our partnership over the years is a positive sign for the future,” said UfM Secretary General Nasser Kamel. “The UfM remains convinced of the long-term constructive influence of this alliance and looks forward to three more years of shared accomplishments.”

The long-standing partnership between these Euro-Mediterranean institutions has resulted in a multitude of impactful actions including Interreg NEXT MED’s participation in the UfM-sponsored Mediterranean Pavilion at the latest three United Nations Climate Change Conferences, its commemoration of the anniversary of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership, and involvement in thematic UfM forums on youth empowerment or the blue economy, among others.

“The UfM-Interreg NEXT MED agreement has been instrumental in enhancing coordination between both institutions,” said Giovanna Medde, Director General of the Interreg NEXT MED Programme. “It is essential for developing and implementing jointly-owned solutions to the complex challenges our region faces. I am confident that renewing it will help us move closer to achieving our common goal of a more integrated, peaceful and prosperous Mediterranean.”

Source UfM website

Family picture of participants Callmeblue project meeting in Tunisia on 21 February 2025

WestMED Tunisia participates in the 3rd transnational CALLMEBLUE project meeting

26 février 2025/dans Actualités /par Communication team

The 3rd Transnational CallmeBLUE project meeting, took place successfully in Gammarth (Tunisia) on 21 February 2025.

Next to the project partners (all representing different maritime clusters in the Mediterranean region), Anja Detant, Project Officer from CINEA – European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency and Slim Jerbia, from WestMED Tunisia were present.

This meeting served as a pivotal milestone for project partners, to showcase the progress achieved and outline the next strategic steps. Key highlights included:

✅ Maritime Cluster Blue Economy Reporting: Presentation of the Maritime Cluster Blue Economy reporting findings, including a comprehensive needs assessment and stakeholder mapping.

✅ Matchmaking Local Workshops: Successful engagement of key stakeholders in Tunisia, Algeria, and Mauritania to explore blue economy opportunities and the role of maritime clusters in fostering sustainable growth.

✅ Feasibility Study on Emerging Clusters: Ongoing assessment in Morocco and Egypt to evaluate the economic and social impact of developing maritime clusters.

✅ Capacity-Building Initiatives: Launch of Learning Labs and Advanced Learning Labs on Business Activities, equipping future maritime cluster actors with critical skills and knowledge.

✅ Regional Cooperation & Policy Dialogue: Advancing stakeholder mobilization for enhanced south-south collaboration, alongside discussions on regulatory frameworks and funding mechanisms.

✅ Business Forum: A dedicated platform to drive collaboration and facilitate north-south matchmaking opportunities within the maritime sector.

✅ Regional Alliance Development: Structuring a long-term cooperation framework through the Hub Azul initiative, reinforcing connections among North African and Mediterranean stakeholders.

The meeting underlined the significance of alliances and collaborative efforts, leveraging strategic frameworks such as the WestMED Initiative and the Union For the Mediterranean (UfM) to drive impactful, sustainable change in the region.

For more information, visit the CALLMEBLUE website or contact Slim Jerbia (WestMED National Hub Tunisia)

group pucture decarbonisation conference Valencia port February 2025

WestMED participates in the Fundación Valenciaport conference « Innovation initiatives for decarbonising the Mediterranean”

15 février 2025/dans Actualités /par National Hub Spain

On 11 February 2025, Fundación Valenciaport organised the conference “Innovation initiatives for decarbonising the Mediterranean” in Valencia. The main objective was to present the many initiatives in which it participates, related to energy transition and decarbonization.

The event brought together more than fifty representatives of the port community with national and international speakers specialised in port sustainability.

During the opening, Antonio Torregrosa, general director of Fundación Valenciaport, welcomed the attendees and Leonardo Manzari, representative of the WestMED Initiative in Italy. Mr Manzari presented the main challenges of decarbonization in the Mediterranean port logistics sector.

Alternative fuel for maritime transport
The first block of the day was focused on alternative fuels for maritime transport.

Manolis Annetis, research engineer at the Maritime Risk Group of the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), presented the objectives and progress of the GREENMED project; an initiative that aims to promote green shipping in the Mediterranean basin by analyzing the energy demand of the currently operating fleet and evaluating transition scenarios towards a sustainable future. He also presented a techno-economic analysis of the current bunkering system in the region and the actions needed to promote decarbonization in port logistics.

Next, Aurelio Lázaro, Senior Project Manager of Fundación Valenciaport, presented the progress and first results of the POWER4MED project. This project aims to develop tools to facilitate the path towards carbon neutrality of three sectors; fishing vessels, commercial vessels and marinas.

This session was concluded with a roundtable discussion focused on new fuels in the maritime industry. This roundtable was moderated by Francisco Tinaut, Professor of the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) in the CMT- Clean Mobility&Thermofluids. Daniel García (POSEIDON), Jan Octavio Wilske (SEAFAIRER), Marta Pascual (WestMED), Manolis Annetis (GREENMED) and Aurelio Lázaro (POWER4MED) participated in this roundtable.

Decarbonising Ports
Marina Arroyo, Project Manager of Fundación Valenciaport, began the second block of the day with the presentation of the SEANERGY project. SEANERGY seeks to move towards “Zero Emissions” ports. During his speech, he highlighted the Catalogue of Technologies for Port Decarbonization, one of the main tools of the project to facilitate the energy transition.

Next, Ignacio Benítez, Senior Project Manager of Fundación Valenciaport, presented the BLUEBARGE project, whose main objective is to develop a barge designed to supply electric power to docked and anchored ships, through the use of batteries of different technologies, contributing to the reduction of emissions and the promotion of more sustainable infrastructures in the port logistics sector.

Subsequently, the SEANERGY workshop was held by Marina Arroyo and Sandra Roselló, deputy director of Fundación Valenciaport, where they explained the main resources developed by the project to help port organizations to develop their energy transition strategies.

Adaptation to Climate Change in Spanish Ports
The last block of the day focused on the adaptation of ports to climate change, which began with the intervention of Begoña Pérez, from the Department of Climate Change and Prediction of Puertos del Estado, who presented the strategies to improve the resilience of Spanish ports against the environmental impacts of climate change.

The conference concluded in the afternoon with the presentation of the ARSINOE project, an initiative that studies the impact of climate change on ports with the aim of developing strategies to mitigate its effects.

Noemí Monterde, Senior Project Manager of Fundación Valenciaport, shared the functioning of the Climate Change Observatory of the Port Authority of Valencia, created within the framework of this initiative, with the aim of analyzing the effect of climate phenomena on port infrastructures and operations.

For his part, José María García-Valdecasas, head of Coastal Services at NOW Systems, presented Clevertool, a tool designed to evaluate these impacts and support the definition of adaptation measures.

For more information about this event, contact Marta Pascual (National Hub Spain)

WestMED event Libya: Investing in the Sustainable Blue Economy

11 février 2025/dans Actualités /par Communication team

This event took place on February 8, 2025 in Benghazi, and was organised in cooperation with the Ministery of Investment. Its main focus was to highlight and discuss investment opportunities in the blue economy and their role in sustainable development, while at the same time highlighting Libya’s participation in the WestMED Initiative and its significance in fostering regional collaboration.

The workshop opened with welcoming remarks and appreciation for the organizing committee. The Minister of Investment delivered the keynote speech, stressing the importance of cooperation between institutions and the need to diversify Libya’s economy beyond oil through sustainable investments. He also reaffirmed his support for the WestMED Initiative and its role in strengthening regional partnerships.

This was followed by remarks from Dr. Abeer Al-Awami, Director of Strategic Planning and Investment at the Ministry, and Masauda Abuarosha, Libya’s National Hub Representative, who introduced the WestMED Initiative and emphasized Libya’s role in advancing the blue economy. The Italian National Hub Representative, Mr. Leonardo Manzari, delivered an insightful presentation outlining the initiative’s objectives, providing real-world examples, and showcasing key achievements. His presentation was well-received by attendees.

Throughout the event, 18 presentations were delivered, covering various topics related to the blue economy, investment opportunities, and sustainable development. The discussions were engaging, highlighting both challenges and promising prospects for Libya in this sector.

The event gathered 56 attendees representing academia, research organizations, government ministries, international representatives, media, and NGOs. Notable participants included universities such as Benghazi, Tobruk, and Omar Al-Mukhtar, research bodies like the Libyan Authority for Scientific Research, representatives from multiple government ministries, the Benghazi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and diplomatic representatives from Italy and Morocco. also from the League of Arab States.

At the conclusion of the event, certificates of appreciation were awarded to all participants, and a shield of gratitude was presented to Mr. Leonardo Manzari and Dr Masauda Abuarosha. The Minister of Investment hosted an official lunch for all attendees in recognition of their contributions.

The workshop resulted in several key recommendations, including the need to strengthen investment in the blue economy, support the private sector, enhance vocational and higher education, secure financial backing for projects, and ensure environmental sustainability.

The next workshop is planned for after Ramadan (most likely April 2025), continuing efforts to advance Libya’s blue economy.

For more information on this event, contact Masauda Abuarosha (WestMED National Hub Libya)