Maritime transport and Ports probably represent the core sector, to win the challenge of sustainability of the Blue Economy, considering its impact in terms of Gross Value Added (GVA) and jobs creation across the EU and its neighbouriung regions.
Greening the EU maritime transport is therefore pivotal to ‘green’ the EU blue economy at large (including tourism, aquaculture, biotechs, marine renewable energy).
But a green transition for the EU maritime transport sectors requires a common vision to equip ports and fleets in a coherent way, within a network capable to ensure their operativity.
Therefore, within the work of the WestMED Technical Group on Green Shipping,the strong need emerged to re-configurate the shipbuilding supply chain and create the production capacity to equip the fleets with propulsion systems, using alternative fuels.
Shipbuilding Propulsion Systems Alliance
For this reason the WestMED Technical Group on Green Shipping, the EU Seabasin Assistance Mechanism, promoted by CINEA and DG Mare, have supported a dedicated Smart Specialisation (S3) Thematic Partnership in this area, encountering the interest of the impacted territories where shipbuilding operations are mostly located, and involving different stakeholders – authorities, research and innovation centres, businesses and investors.
The newly launched S3 Thematic partnership “Shipbuilding Propulsion Systems Alliance”, led by Region Liguria, Região capital de Portugal, Region Attica, brings together 30 partners – including Regional Bodies, Businesses, Cluster Organisations, Research & Innovation Centres and Civil Society Organisations – from 5 EU Member states and 4 non EU partner countries spread across 3 EU Sea basins (Mediterranean Atlantic, Black Sea).
The initiative, more specifically, aims at:
Speeding up the modernisation and renewal of the supply chains related to the production/refitting of propulsion systems, as well as to the delivery of the fuel, for each type of alternative fuel.
Accelerating the replacement/refitting of traditionally propelled fleets to diversify, renew, revitalise the sector across Europe and its neighbourhoods;
Fostering the adoption of innovative fiscal and financial schemes, to allow shipowners, shipbuilders and related stakeholders to achieve greater impact and sustainability for their investments.
https://westmed-initiative.ec.europa.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/aerial-view-container-cargo-ship-seacompr2.jpg6301500Communication teamhttps://westmed-initiative.ec.europa.eu/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/new-westmed-ec-enfold-logo-website-def2.pngCommunication team2024-11-30 09:13:452024-12-12 10:10:45Launch of S3 Thematic partnership “Shipbuilding Propulsion Systems Alliance” with 30 partners from 3 EU sea basins
Three full days have been dedicated to enhancing synergies among key actors in the Mediterranean basin: The WestMED Steering Comittee (SC) on October 1, The UfM Regional Platform on the Blue Economy on October 2, and the WestMED Hackathon on October 3, 2024.
WestMED Steering Committee The WestMED Steering Committee (SC) was hosted by the Region of Algarve and the Portuguese Co-Presidency.
The meeting gathered representatives from the WestMED countries, as well as the Observers, DG MARE, CINEA, UfM and the team of the Assistance Mechanism.
A key milestone was presented at the SC meeting in terms of cooperation and clustering within the Mediterranean region. On 29 September 2024, the first maritime cluster has been officially established in Libya with the support of the WestMED Initiative. This maritime cluster will be rolled out in the coming months. (see article on this announcement).
Updates on the WestMED Technical Groups (TGs) were presented by the Assistance Mechanism, in particular to the recently approved TG on Sustainable Tourism. There has been a call for Tourism experts to join, and there has already been a stakeholder group meeting on September 6 and an advisory group meeting on September 18 to prepare for the official launch at the Sun&Blue Conference on November 21.
The WestMED countries are fully committed towards a more sustainable and resilience tourism section in the Mediterranean. Some countries are working to promote more environmental-friendly tourism alternatives such as pesca-tourism and sustainable scuba diving at artificial reefs.
In view of the willingness of the WestMED Initiative towards enhancing more synergies and cooperative dialogue with the African countries, DG MARE presented the Strategic Dialogue on the Africa-Europe Ocean Economy. A scoping report has been produced outlining way to strengthen cooperation between Africa and Europe on ocean governance and blue economy, from which to forge a mutually beneficial roadmap for the two continents in line with the 2030 UN Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
UfM Regional Platform on Sustainable Blue Economy
Back-to-back to the WestMED Steering Committee, the UfM Regional Platform took place on 2 October 2024
The UfM Secretariat introduced the most recent advancements on the update of the Roadmap for the implementation of the 2021 UfM Ministerial Declaration on Sustainable Blue Economy. On the monitoring, reporting and evaluation mechanism, an exhaustive exercise is being done based on 657 actions, activities and projects of regional cooperation in the Mediterranean.
The UfM is going to shortly launch the new edition of the UfM Sustainable Blue Economy Publication, which provides an update on the status of the key blue economy sectors in the Mediterranean, including transversal aspects such as blue skills, marine research and funding frameworks. The previous edition of this 2021 publication can be found here.
On this occasion, the UfM Regional Plan for Transport was presented by Francesc Carbonell. Further synergies are being sought between the WestMED Technical Group on Green Shipping and Ports and the UfM Regional Plan for Transport, to address the common challenges of the sector in the Mediterranean.
Further updates were presented in terms of the Community of Practice on MSP (Smart Specialization Strategies – S3, Mission Restore Our Oceans by 2030 and BlueMissionMed, Interreg Euro-Med and strategy dialogue on the Africa-Europe Ocean Economy.
On the funding opportunities, updates were presented in the Blue Mediterranean Partnership, Interreg Next-MED and the Sustainable Blue Economy Partnership.
WestMED Hackaton 2024
On 3 October 2024, 85 stakeholders from more than 20 countries met in Vilamoura, Portugal to discuss project ideas and possible funding sources. This was already the 3rd hackathon after previous sessions in Palermo (2019) and Malta (2022).
Marisa Lameiras da Silva (Portugal) and Demba Diawara (Mauritania) co-chairing the WestMED Steering Committee | Copyright photos: DGPM
https://westmed-initiative.ec.europa.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/1727813981610.jpg15362046Communication teamhttps://westmed-initiative.ec.europa.eu/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/new-westmed-ec-enfold-logo-website-def2.pngCommunication team2024-10-06 09:50:552024-10-09 16:02:09WestMED Stakeholders gather in Portugal for a 3-day agenda on the Blue Economy
The primary objective of this WestMED Steering Committee meeting that took place on June 26 in Brussels, was to assemble the representatives of the 10 WestMED countries and observers in-person to provide them with an overview of the latest advancements on the implementation of the WestMED Initiative, the latest funding opportunities, and to approve the establishment of the new Technical Group on Sustainable Tourism.
The meeting was co-chaired by the Portuguese and Mauritanian Co-Presidencies, with the support from DG MARE and the UfM (Union for the Mediterranean).
National events, such as the national Dialogue in Morocco, the involvement of Libyan representatives in various Technical Groups (TGs), and the consolidation of the Mauritanian maritime cluster, further underscore the Initiative’s visiblity and success.
Another significant step to establish synergies was the participation of WestMED as Observers in the MedLab Annual event organized by Interact, held back-to-back with the WestMED Steering Committee meeting. The MedLab Annual event focused on the Post-2027 debate and regional cooperation.
Establishment of a new WestMED Technical Group on Tourism
Tourism in the Mediterranean region is expanding, making the industry a crucial employment sector. The WestMED Initiative aims to enhance the coastal tourism sector’s competitiveness and sustainability while protecting the environment through eco-tourism, digitalization, and cross-border cooperation.
The establishment of a new Technical Group (TG) by the WestMED Assistance Mechanism addresses a priority identified by the WestMED Initiative and will serve as an informal forum for discussing sustainable tourism needs, focusing on green transition, digitalization, governance, and skills. The TG will comprise a core group, an advisory body, and a technical group. The Steering Committee is currently in the process of approving the Terms of Reference for this new Technical Group
Overview of Funding opportunities
Several funding opportunities were highlighted:
EU Mission Ocean, Seas, and Waters: The Work Programme 2024 includes two call topics. Call 1 covers thematic topics aligned with Mission objectives such as restoration and a sustainable blue economy, while Call 2 targets support for actor communities like waterfront cities and islands. The overview also includes several Horizon calls within these Mission calls, focusing on topics like Blue Parks and MPAs, reducing fisheries’ impact in EU sea basins, and community-led ocean and water restoration. Additionally, it highlights opportunities for third parties to join ongoing projects, particularly Calls for Associated Regions, aiming to enhance capacity for implementing innovative solutions in neighboring regions.
Sustainable Blue Economy Partnership: Four priority areas have been identified for the transnational call launched in February 2024: regional sea-use management, multi-use marine infrastructures, blue bioresources, and regional-scale Digital Twins of the Ocean (DTOs). To enhance global visibility and foster new collaborations, the call is co-branded by the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, coordinated by UNESCO. All Mediterranean countries are eligible for EU contributions, whether they are EU Member States, Associated countries, or low-to-medium-income countries.
Interreg NEXTMED: The first call for proposals, closed in May 2024, was divided into nine Specific Objectives. Among 631 proposals, most projects targeted « Growth and competitiveness of SMEs, » « Education and training, » and « Climate Change adaptation. » Projects were categorized into three clusters: Thematic, Youth-oriented, and Governance, with 90% falling under the Thematic cluster. Most participating organizations were from Italy, Greece, and Spain within the EU, and from Turkey and Tunisia outside the EU. Participants included public legal bodies (30%), NGOs (27%), private companies (13%), and regional/local public administrations (10%). A second call for proposals, focusing on Green Transition, is set to launch in November 2024.
Interreg EURO-MED: The 1st and 3rd calls focused on Governance projects, selecting 8 projects that began in January 2023. The 2nd call targeted Thematic projects, resulting in 56 projects that started in January 2024. The 4th call, which closed in June 2024, will see 20 Thematic projects begin in spring 2025, addressing the four main thematic areas: sustainable economy, environmental protection, green living, and sustainable tourism. The upcoming 5th call will focus on Thematic Strategic Territorial projects for rural, mountain areas, and islands, emphasizing innovative solutions for waste reduction and water scarcity. The presentation concludes with an overview of the 1st call’s Governance projects in the field of the Sustainable Blue Economy.
Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) Regional Platform meeting on Blue Economy
Back-to-back to the WestMED Steering committee this UfM Regional Platform Meeting on Blue Economy took place on June 27, with many of the key players from the day before.
The UfM Secretariat introduced the most recent advancements on the update of the Blue Economy Roadmap and the activation of the SBE (Sustainable Blue Economy) Monitoring, Reporting, and Evaluation Mechanism; highlighted progress on the multi-partner and multi-donor investment fund ‘Blue Mediterranean Partnership’; and recalled the series of two webinars held during the first semester of 2024 on blue food and sustainable tourism, as well as the third webinar (July 1 2024) on MRE (Marine Renewable Energy)/licensing/MSP (Maritime Spatial Planning).
The UfM shared an update on the harmonization exercise of UfM Regional Platforms. The UfM operates under a consolidated action-driven methodology creating links between political mandate, multi-stakeholder dialogue, and tangible projects and initiatives. This methodology comprises three pillars: Policies, Platforms, and Projects – the so-called ‘3 Ps’. As part of the ongoing UfM reform efforts to enhance efficiency and in an effort to harmonize the relevant terminology, the ‘UfM Working Group on Blue Economy’ is henceforth renamed as the ‘UfM Regional Platform on Sustainable Blue Economy’.
Next meeting The 16th meeting of the UfM Regional Platform on Sustainable Blue Economy will take place in Algarve, Portugal, in October 2024, back-to-back with the next WestMED Steering Committee and the 3rd WestMED Hackathon.
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Ce projet lancé en 2022 fait suite au projet « FIUUFRA » qui avait été mené dans le cade de l’initiative « WESTMED » et permis de préparer le projet eFishMed.
L’Algérie, la Libye, la Mauritanie, le Maroc et la Tunisie sont les pays bénéficiaires du projet, et l’initiative est soutenue par la France, l’Italie, Malte, le Portugal et l’Espagne.
L’académie virtuelle est essentielle pour harmoniser les activités de contrôle et d’inspection de la pêche et favoriser la coopération et l’échange de bonnes pratiques entre les pays du nord et du sud de la Méditerranée.
Depuis février 2022, l’AECP et les pays participants ont beaucoup travaillé pour que le projet soit couronné de succès.
Un référentiel de formation commun Premier résultat tangible, un référentiel de formation commun pour les inspecteurs des pêches et les opérateurs des centres de surveillance des pêches (CSP) a été défini par l’AECP et approuvé par les pays participants. L’objectif est d’améliorer les activités de suivi, de contrôle et de surveillance en Méditerranée et dans l’Atlantique Est grâce à une meilleure compréhension commune des règles à appliquer aux activités de contrôle et d’inspection de la pêche.
Une plateforme d’apprentissage en ligne Parallèlement, afin d’atteindre le deuxième résultat, l’AECP a conçu une plateforme d’apprentissage en ligne, destinée aux agents participant au contrôle et à l’inspection de la pêche des pays bénéficiaires d’e-FishMed. La plateforme héberge des modules d’apprentissage en ligne et d’autres supports de formation tels que des tutoriels vidéo, des manuels et des législations internationales, régionales et nationales. Grâce à cet outil, les inspecteurs des pêches et les opérateurs des CSP peuvent se former à tout moment et de n’importe où ! Actuellement, 159 agents des pays bénéficiaires utilisent déjà la plateforme et l’ambition est de continuer à croître.
Sessions de formation présentielles À partir de septembre 2023, le projet a complété l’expérience d’apprentissage en ligne par des sessions de formation présentielles. Une session régionale de « formation des formateurs » a été organisée par l’AECP, avec le soutien de Malte et de la France. Cette formation visait à renforcer les capacités, les aptitudes et les compétences des inspecteurs des pêches participant à des activités de formation pour leurs pairs.
Deux sessions nationales de formation sur la méthodologie de gestion des risques ont également été organisées : l’une au Maroc conjointement avec le département marocain de la pêche maritime et l’autre en Tunisie conjointement avec la direction générale de la pêche et de l’aquaculture. Cette dernière a bénéficié du soutien de la France.
En juillet 2024, une autre formation régionale pour les opérateurs de CSP a eu lieu dans les locaux de l’AECP à Vigo. Au cours de cette formation, les participants ont eu l’occasion de partager leurs expériences et leurs bonnes pratiques et de visiter le centre de coordination de l’AECP.
Un programme d’échange pour les responsables de la pêche Troisième résultat, le projet a permis la mise en place d’un programme d’échange pour les responsables de la pêche, au partage d’expertise et à la mise en réseau entre les pays du nord et du sud de la Méditerranée et de l’Atlantique Est. Une première édition du programme d’échange, soutenue par l’Espagne, a eu lieu à Madrid et à Malaga en avril 2024 et la deuxième édition, soutenue par la France, aura lieu à Etel et à Lorient en septembre 2024.
Indépendamment des résultats requis et obtenus par le projet, la valeur ajoutée du projet e-FishMed réside dans sa capacité à promouvoir davantage une coopération renforcée en matière de contrôle des pêches dans le bassin de la mer Méditerranée, à créer des réseaux, à renforcer la confiance et à être un forum d’échange d’expériences et de bonnes pratiques.
La valeur ajoutée d’e-FishMed a également été récemment reconnue dans la déclaration ministérielle WestMed du 23 juin 2023, qui a salué le partage de l’expertise et des meilleures pratiques dans le cadre du projet e-FishMed.
En outre, jusqu’à sa fin, prévue en janvier 2025, le projet continuera de produire et d’obtenir des résultats contribuant à une économie bleue durable et à la lutte contre la pêche INN.
Atelier régional de formation des formateurs e-FishMed à Malte | 26 – 28 septembre 2023
Atelier régional de formation des formateurs e-FishMed à Malte | 26 – 28 septembre 2023
Formation nationale e-FishMed au Maroc | 12-14 décembre 2023
Programme d’échange e-FishMed en Espagne | 15-19 avril 2024
Formation nationale e-FishMed en Tunisie | 7-9 mai 2024
https://westmed-initiative.ec.europa.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/efishmed.website.screenshotcompr.jpg7691920Communication teamhttps://westmed-initiative.ec.europa.eu/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/new-westmed-ec-enfold-logo-website-def2.pngCommunication team2024-07-11 13:16:512024-07-12 09:07:56e-FishMed s’engage dans l’économie bleue et la lutte contre la pêche INN
There are four macro-regional strategies in the EU, fostering cooperation in approx 75% of all EU member states. In addition, there are three EU sea basin strategies, which are cooperation structures for protecting the sea basins. These strategies come from different origins but share similar goals and the view that some challenges cannot be solved on the national level alone.
From 12-14 June 2024, all seven EU territorial strategies came together for the first time, to exchange information, thoughts and ideas on regional cooperation in Europe under the slogan ‘Strategies4Cooperation.’
Five parallel interactive workshops were organised to discuss the following themes: Enlargement, Climate Change, Clusters and Innovation, Embedding and Civil Societies engagement.
Amongst the many events, a panel discussion was organised by the EU Sea Basin Assistance Mechanism titled ‘Synergies amongst the strategies; taking stock and looking ahead’ .
This panel was moderated by Matteo Bocci (EU Assistance Mechanism) and consisted of Ms Andra Kuzmina (Latvian Presidency for the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region), Ms Mathilde Konstantopoulou (Greek Presidency for the EU Strategy for the Adriatic-Ionian Region), Mr Markku Markkula (Vice Presidente of the Committee of the Regions) and Ms Isabelle Perret (French Presidency of the EU Sea Basin Strategy for the Atlantic)
Some key conclusions from this session:
There are as many shared commonalities as well as specificities amongst the strategies as relevant enablers of cooperation (e.g. same targeted stakeholders, different governance models and levels)
There are clear ways to foster more synergies between the strategies (e.g. observer roles in each other’s governance structures)
Shared actions should be explored across key topics/sectors (e.g. skills, pollution, decarbonisation & Marine Renewable Energies, smaller islands)
Stakeholder cooperation could be promoted more across mutual events
Information could be shared and duplication avoided through a better exchange beween the strategies (e.g. build on best practices and good examples)
Good to maximise use of (limited) financial resources – e.g. by making them more impact-oriented
We Are Blue Schools | Ocean literacy | Group of children displaying their ocean related artwork on the Balearic Islands | Photo (c) We are blue schools
StarFish 2.0 | Small Scale Fisheries | The Nemo tracking and monitoring device by CLS being tested by local fishermen | Photo (c) George Galanos
Overview of the photo-exhibition with examples of projects from the seven EU cooperation strategies
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This video showcases how the European Commission is propelling the blue economy forward through targeted Sea Basin Strategies in the Atlantic, Black Sea, and Western Mediterranean.
Witness how these strategies foster innovation, competitiveness, and inclusivity within the sector, supported by essential enablers like blue skills and sustainable investments.
https://westmed-initiative.ec.europa.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/screenshot.sea_.basin_.strategies.explainer.video_.jpeg360721Communication teamhttps://westmed-initiative.ec.europa.eu/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/new-westmed-ec-enfold-logo-website-def2.pngCommunication team2024-06-15 08:13:192024-07-10 15:40:19Explainer video Sea Basins Strategies and the Assistance Mechanism
This workshop that took place on May 30, 2024 during the European Maritime Day in Svendborg Denmark, was aimed at exploring how the EU Sea Basins Assistance Mechanism can further enhance effective cooperation with strategic blue economy initiatives promoted by the EU in the ‘cross-cutting’ areas of research and innovation, ocean literacy and green energy transition.
Moderation was done by Matteo Bocci, from the Sea Basins Assistance Mechanism and contributions were made by:
Margherita Zorgno, Sustainable Blue Economy Partnership
Olga Mashkina, EU4Ocean Coalition
Ana Peralta, EU Energy Transition Partnership
Gaetan Coatanroch, Mission Oceans and Waters Implementation Platform
The workshop allowed the different initiatives to share the main activities and results achieved so far in their areas of intervention, and then look ahead to identify concrete actions for further cooperation– also by building upon the results of the High-Level Panel 1 held on the same day.
Key Highlights and Outcomes of the workshop:
As concrete outcomes of this workshop, the different initiatives involved agreed to establish concrete roadmaps for cooperation in the year ahead, particularly in the area of Ocean literacy and blue skills, which emerged as a cross-cutting topic of interest to all the initiatives involved.
The Sea Basins Assistance Mechanism (with a concrete Pillar on the Atlantic sea basin focused on this topic) is exploring the possibility of creating a cross-sea basin working group on blue skills and ocean literacy. In this sense, it is encouraging other “blue” initiatives to feed it with practices and relevant experiences.
From the R&I point of view, SBEP incorporates blue skills as a cross-cutting theme within its scope of work, and has supported projects focused on, e.g., “upskilling” in the tourism sector. Moreover, the foreseen Knowledge and Innovation Community (KIC) on marine/water is expected to have a focus on education and skills.
From the angle of energy transition and decarbonisation in different maritime sectors, as highlighted by the Energy Transition Partnership, the development of a new set of “blue skills” is crucial. The blue economy is challenged by an ageing workforce (this is particularly true for the fisheries sector), and a lack of workers for many related economic activities, including in more “emerging” sectors (i.e. blue biotechnologies, marine renewable energies, etc.) In this sense, the initiative ‘Fishers of the Future’ was launched as a EU-wide participatory project to examine the future role of fishers in society up to 2050.
The issue of ocean literacy is the main axis of activity for the EU4OCEAN coalition, and particularly when it comes to involving the younger generations and “training the trainers”. As such, this initiative is supporting integrated outreach actions with the aim to attract and engage such groups to the vast opportunities of the Blue Economy job market. In this sense, the project “Blue Generation” has the goal to inspire and engage young people between 15 and 29 years to pursue a sustainable career in a Blue Economy sector.
In conclusion, the workshop highlighted the vital role of collaborative efforts in advancing the EU’s blue economy initiatives, particularly through focused areas such as ocean literacy and blue skills development. As a key result, the different initiatives committed to continue working together to further operationalise future joint actions.
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The event targeted all Spanish-speaking Mediterranean and/or Atlantic stakeholders in the port, fishing and yachting sectors, as well as representatives from national and regional administrations. People came from a wide range of organisations including clusters, GALPs, associations, marine recreation, marinas, fishing ports, technology providers, port infrastructure developers, researchers, energy sector, shipyards (see list of attendees).
This workshop was selected by the European Commission as an official ‘EMD in My Country‘ event, as part of a larger EU-wide campaign consisting of many other events across the Union, designed to raise awareness about the importance of the oceans and seas.
Background
As with other economic activities in the EU, there is a growing need for our maritime fleets to transition and move away from fossil fuels as soon as possible. This is not only a contribution to the objectives of the European Green Deal, including the reduction of GHG emissions, but also to the profitability, sustainability and resilience of the sector (EU Commission, 2023). The challenges faced by fleets in undertaking an energy transition range from regulatory to technological.
The objective of this workshop was to discuss the challenges that decarbonization poses for recreational and fishing ports and vessels. It provided an opportunity to harnass the participants’ perspectives on fishing vessels and recreational vessels as well as their ports and facilities focused on this challenge.
By using the principles of ‘design thinking,’ participants identified and discussed possible prototypes, energy sources, technological solutions, regulatory frameworks, general opportunities and challenges to move towards decarbonization.
Setting the stage The stage was set by several leading experts and policy makers, outlining the context and sharing the latest developments.
Mr. Héctor Pons Riudavets, Mayor of Mahon, opened the event and stated that « we need prototypes and public-private technologies adapted to the current reality to achieve our decarbonization goals ». Next, Mr. Antonio Ginard Lopez, Director General of the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands, highlighted that the Balearic Islands are already addressing the challenge of decarbonizing their ports with several activities and work axes.
Ms. Iolanda Piedra, president of the Maritime Maritime and Logistics Cluster of the Balearic Islands, stressed that Spain wants and needs to be a European and global reference in marine decarbonization.
Mr. Omar Collado, national coordinator of the WestMED Initiative on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, indicated: « All maritime sectors need to collaborate to achieve a sustainable Blue Economy. We need concrete, realistic and truly sustainable projects and technologies to move towards the energy transition that the EU needs ».
Mr. Francisco Manuel Fernández, from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, stressed that the ideas that will be developed through the participatory workshop are essential to advance the decarbonization of the fisheries sector. He emphasized that most Mediterranean fisheries in Spain are artisanal fleets and that providing decarbonization solutions to these fleets is a challenge we need to address.
Roundtables After a short break, participants were split and divided over three thematic roundtables according to predifined preferences.
TABLE 1: Decarbonization prototypes for fishing and recreational ports
TABLE 2: Decarbonization prototypes for fishing vessels
TABLE 3: Decarbonization Prototypesfor recreational vessels
Each table was then asked to:
1: Identify of challenges/barriers/strengths
2: Prioritise the top 3 challenges
3: Identify a roadmap for these 3 prioritized challenges
Results A brief summary:
Table 1: Proposals for ports to become energy generators
Three proposals were selected: a mobile platform that allows energy generation (eco-deck), a turbine farm that harnesses the power of waves to generate electricity and a project to generate green hydrogen in ports based on the example of the port of Vigo.
Table 2: Projects for the decarbonization of the fishing vessels
Prototypes were proposed for the digitalization and analysis of the energy needs of each type of fishing gear (data platform). A project for testing a hybrid solution (electric and diesel) on a 10-meter vessel was also proposed.
Table 3: New models of green energy powered vessels
Different projects were selected, such as the adaptation of catamarans to a hybrid model (biodiesel and electricity), the development of an application to monitor the autonomy of ships, the electrification of passenger ships or the construction of a ship powered by biodiesel and hydrogen.
Each table then shared and discussed their findings with the full group of participants.
The day was concluded by summarising key take-home points and outlining next steps.
Next Steps
The full results will be compiled in a document entitled « National Event from WestMED Initiative in Spain: Prototypes for the decarbonization of Ports, Fishing and Recreational Vessels » which will be delivered to the EU Energy Transition Partnership so that they can take them into account when developing their roadmap for 2024.
Set against the picturesque backdrop of Svendborg, Denmark, this annual event, hosted at the International Maritime Academy (SIMAC), promises to be enlighting for the maritime world.
On May 30-31, EMD 2024 will attract Ocean Leaders from across Europe to converge, deliberate, and establish collaborations focused on addressing pressing challenges and promising opportunities within the blue economy and marine ecosystem.
Kickstarting the festivities on May 30, the High-Level event on the main stage will feature prominent policymakers, including Charlina Vitcheva, Director General at DG MARE, along with representatives from Denmark, France, Portugal, and Moldova. This session, scheduled from 10:30 to 11:45, will spotlight the remarkable success of the EU Sea Basin Strategies as pivotal drivers of the Blue Economy, offering valuable insights into fostering sustainable maritime growth.
EMD 2024 serves as an interactive in-person conference and exhibition. A place where businesses, governments, NGOs, academia, and EU citizens connect and discover. Through engaging discussions, workshops, and pitch sessions, stakeholders actively help shape the maritime agenda, tackle current challenges, and chart a course for future opportunities.
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The WestMED Initiative actively participated in the 2nd UfM Blue Economy Stakeholder Conference, which took place in Athens on February 19 and 20, 2024.
In October 2016, Foreign Affairs Ministers from Algeria, France, Italy, Libya, Malta, Mauritania, Morocco, Portugal, Spain and Tunisia encouraged further work on an initiative for the sustainable development of the blue economy, alongside the UfM Secretariat.
In the UfM Ministerial Declaration on Sustainable Blue Economy (2021), Ministers “welcome the successful completion of the launch of the ‘Initiative for the sustainable development of the blue economy in the western Mediterranean’ (WestMED)”, and “recognise both the WestMED initiative as successful examples of cooperation, focused on clear goals, priorities and measurable targets and as a catalyst for the development of sustainable blue economy projects in the region”.
The endorsing countries pursue the same priorities under the UfM Working Group and the WestMED Steering Committee: fostering the promotion of the blue economy, achieving a safer maritime space and improving the maritime governance.
Conference involvement
On the occasion of the 2nd UfM Blue Economy Stakeholder Conference, the WestMED Initiative assisted the UfM both in terms of organization and participation.
At institutional level, the new WestMED Portuguese Co-Presidency represented by Ms. Marisa Lameiras da Silva, Director General for Maritime Policy in Portugal participated as one of the key speakers in the session of marine renewable energy, providing the success case of Portugal developing offshore energy and its potential replicability in the Mediterranean.
From the Commission side, Ms. Delilah Al Khudhairy, Director for Maritime Policy and Blue Economy, Mr. Christos Economou, Head of Unit for Maritime Regional Cooperation and Mr. Manuel Pleguezuelo, policy officer and WestMED coordinator from DG MARE, participated in numerous sessions showing a strong commitment to the sustainable blue economy in the Mediterranean. The same for Ms. Anja Detant (CINEA), as project manager of the WestMED Assistance Mechanism contract, who highlighted the WestMED Initiative and the award winning projects during the ‘Spotlights on Projects’ session.
At operational level, the WestMED Assistance Mechanism participated in different workshops as experts, moderators and rapporteurs, providing technical expertise. They also supported the UfM Secretariat behind-the-scenes in the development of the Conference.
The conference served as a crucial milestone to assess progress, discuss challenges, and engage the entire Mediterranean Sustainable Blue Economy Community in shaping further deliberations at political and practical level.
https://westmed-initiative.ec.europa.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Leonardo-irene.ufm_.2024compr-e1709205216509.jpg12801920Communication teamhttps://westmed-initiative.ec.europa.eu/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/new-westmed-ec-enfold-logo-website-def2.pngCommunication team2024-02-28 16:43:192024-03-26 08:27:03WestMED goes full Mediterranean at the UfM stakeholder conference 2024
