Author: Eeva Nyyssönen

​​​​​​​​​​The future of maritime activities in the Baltic Sea region, more specifically the environmental dimension and related planning work, is at the focus of the annual of the HELCOM Maritime Working starting today in Tallinn, Estonia. The Meeting is chaired by Ms. Anna Pettersson, Swedish Transport Agency.Photo: Maritime Office in Gdynia​The meeting participants will gather momentum for the future and discuss the next steps needed for the region, by drafting a Work Plan for the period 2016–2018 as well as for the purposes of HELCOM Maritime Assessment planned to be released in early 2017.A substantial issue in focus include following up the recent decisions by the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), on the enforcement of the MARPOL Annex IV special area status of the Baltic Sea. This includes particularly following up on the work carried out by the coastal countries and ports in optimising the regions’ port reception capacity of from passenger ships. The Meeting will further consider mainstreaming of new greener shipping technologies and recall the Baltic Sea NOx Emission Control Area () application which was sent by HELCOM countries to IMO MEPC 70 during the summer 2016. IMO MEPC 70 is planned to take place 24–28 October 2016.The Meeting will also discuss the regional dimensions of implementing the 2014 IMO Ballast Water Management Convention (), as recent developments will make the entry into force of the convention very likely in the near future. Regarding BWMC, the Maritime group will especially follow up the recent developments around the joint HELCOM-OSPAR procedure for risk assessments for spreading of aquatic invasive species via ballast water. The process is needed for the purposes of exemptions under BWMC reg. A-4, originally agreed in 2013 by the Baltic Sea and North-East Atlantic coastal countries as well as EU.The 16th meeting of the HELCOM Maritime Working Group will be held on 6–8 September 2016 and hosted by the Ministry of the Environment of Estonia. All the documents will be public after the meeting at the  * * * Note for editorsHELCOM identifies and promotes actions to limit sea-based pollution and finds ways for safer navigation. Established in 1975, the group also deals with the harmonized implementation and enforcement of international shipping regulations. The Maritime Group includes the HELCOM-OSPAR Task Group on Ballast Water Management (regional dimensions of implementing the IMO Ballast Water Management Convention), Expert group on safety of navigation, Working group for mutual exchange and deliveries of Automatic Identification System (AIS) data, and HELCOM Cooperation Platform on Port Reception Facilities (PRF).Maritime transportation in the Baltic Sea region has steadily increased during the past decade. Transport and introductions of non-native species has been perceived as one of the primary threats to the coastal ecosystems worldwide and ships’ ballast water has been identified as one of the main vectors.The Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission, usually referred to as , is an intergovernmental organization of the nine Baltic Sea coastal countries and the European Union working to protect the marine environment of the Baltic Sea from all sources of pollution and to ensure safety of navigation in the region. Since 1974, HELCOM has been the governing body of the ‘Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area’, more commonly known as the Helsinki Convention.* * * For more information, please contact:Hermanni Backer Professional Secretary for Maritime, Response and Fish groups HELCOM Tel:  +358 46 8509199 Skype: helcom02 E-mail: hermanni.backer(at)helcom.fi Johanna Laurila Information Secretary HELCOM Tel: +358 40 523 8988 Skype: helcom70 E-mail: johanna.laurila(at)helcom.fi

The Maritime Working group will gather momentum for the future and discuss the next steps needed for the region in their 3-day in meeting in Tallinn, Estonia.

​​This week the harbour porpoise, the threatened and also the only small whale (cetacean) species of the Baltic Sea, gets international attention in a high-level meeting in Helsinki, Finland. HELCOM is represented in the meeting to establish even stronger links with the ASCOBANS Agreement on the Conservation of Small Cetaceans. The work between the two organizations has begun in the 1990s. There are less than 500 harbour porpoises left in the Baltic Sea. Photo: Solvin Zankl/Swedish Agency for Marine and Water and Management. HELCOM has contributed long-term to the research and management tools for alleviating pressures on threatened and declining species in the Baltic Sea, also the harbour porpoise, the population of which dropped dramatically in the mid-1950s and is now at under 500 in the Baltic Sea. The top current threats for Baltic harbour porpoise are bycatch in fisheries, environmental toxins and anthropogenic noise.  The HELCOM work related to conserving the harbour porpoise, led by the Seal expert since 2006, has expanded in recent years. One prominent HELCOM area is the work on indicators, as measuring the changes in the environment will help determine the most effective management decisions. The development work of a specific harbour porpoise indicator is ongoing, HELCOM also works at full speed to develop two indicators on : both ambient and impulsive noise. There are also two major HELCOM reports coming soon, about the impact of underwater noise as well as mitigation measures. Cooperation between ASCOBANS and HELCOM has long traditions and it has stayed lively up to today. For instance, the joint HELCOM/ASCOBANS harbour porpoise has been ready and regularly updated for ten years. The new resolutions to be adopted by ASCOBANS this week will be brought to the attention of the relevant HELCOM working groups covering all the Contracting Parties of the Helsinki Convention.* * *Note for editors: is an intergovernmental organization made up of the nine Baltic Sea coastal countries and the European Union. Founded in 1974, its primary aims as a governing body are to protect the marine environment of the Baltic Sea from all sources of pollution, as well as to ensure safe maritime navigation. The official name of HELCOM is the Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission; it is the governing body of the Helsinki Convention.  was concluded in 1991 as the Agreement on the Conservation of Small Cetaceans of the Baltic and North Seas (ASCOBANS) under the auspices of the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS or Bonn Convention) and entered into force in 1994. In February 2008, an extension of the agreement area came into force which changed the name to “Agreement on the Conservation of Small Cetaceans of the Baltic, North East Atlantic, Irish and North Seas”. * * * For more information, please contact:Petra KääriäAssistant Professional SecretaryHELCOMTel: +358 40 630 9933Skype: helcom68E-mail: petra.kaaria(at)helcom.fi Johanna LaurilaInformation SecretaryHELCOMTel: +358 40 523 8988Skype: helcom70E-mail: johanna.laurila(at)helcom.fi

HELCOM reinforces links with ASCOBANS in a high-level meeting this week, discussing key challenges to the declining species.

​​​​​​​​​Danish Naval Home Guard vessel MHV 904 Lyø sails 700 nautical miles with 12 crew from Esbjerg on the Danish Atlantic coast to participate in HELCOM oil response exercise off Klaipeda in the Baltic Sea Anyone who has participated or observed a HELCOM Balex Delta oil spill exercise cannot have missed the fleet of small but efficient Danish vessels, towing booms and darting between the bigger vessels. The Danish MHV904 was designated as a surprise team leader in the middle of the oil spill exercise, here towing the boom front left. Photo: Konrad Wrzecionkowski/WWF Poland.These vessels are a part of the Naval Home Guard, staffed with volunteers who often have another full time job. But make no mistake: these are no ordinary volunteers. They are true enthusiasts, many of whom spend another forty hour working week on board their vessels, resulting in highly professional and motivated crews. By a chance HELCOM Secretariat ended up sitting around the same table with the crew of Lyø – one of these Danish home guard vessels, and was inspired by the story behind their long voyage to Klaipeda, Lithuania in June. Last autumn the vessel Lyø, with home pier in Esbjerg, a town on the Atlantic side of Jutland, Denmark, received an invitation from the central office of Naval Home Guard to participate in the 2016 HELCOM Balex Delta in Lithuania. After some consideration the team replied that they would be willing to participate for the first time in this Baltic Sea exercise, despite the long distances. The crew of Lyø, including Frederik Michael Hansen and Kent Jensen pictured here, were happy that the weather was mild all through the way to Klaipeda. Photo: Christian Lindegaard Petersen/HVF 131Preparations for the week-long travel to the exercise took its time. “This kind of relatively long voyage takes long time to prepare. We needed to ensure that we have the right competence on board. In addition, many of us have full time jobs on the side and vacations need to be arranged,” says Communication officer of Lyø, Christina Hald-Andersen.Summer arrived and with it the departure to Lithuania and HELCOM Balex Delta. The voyage from Esbjerg took the crew and ship north along the Jutland coast, cutting through the Limfjorden from Thyborøn to Hals, southward to the Danish island of Bornholm and all the way to Klaipeda on the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea. The distance was in total around 700 nautical miles or 1300 km. On the way they had met the three other Danish home guard vessels and sailed in convoy the last bit across the southern Baltic.The exercise itself was a very positive experience according to Capitain Ole Thomassen pf MHV904. Photo: Konrad Wrzecionkowski/WWF Poland​”We were very lucky with the weather all the long way to Klaipeda. The ship is somewhat small so rough weather can make life tough on board. However, little waves and light winds made the passage a real pleasure,” says Hald-Andersen.The exercise itself was a very positive experience according to Capitain Ole Thomassen. “We anticipated this as a way to top up our competence as the vessel is not usually participating in oil response exercises. However, we regularly attend international Search and Rescue (SAR) exercises, organised by Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands.” “The exercise fulfilled our expectations and was really valuable for us – especially as we were designated team leaders in the second half of the exercise without any previous knowledge. This surprise made us work hard and put our skills to the test. I think we managed well taking into account the circumstances,” the capitain adds.After the exercise Lyø and the other home guard vessels spent a day in port and then set off for the homeward journey. “Next week we will be back on our daily jobs – but one very valuable experience richer,” says Deck Hand Christian Pedersen, offshore consultant in his civilian life. Capitain Ole Thomassen (left) receives  the “Hjemmeværnets
Fortjensttegn” from Commander Anders
Frishøj (right) in Klaipeda.  The Danish Homeguard medal is awarded after particular merits for the benefit of the Home Guard and impeccable character in the service and in private life.Photo: Christian Lindegaard Petersen/HVF 131 ​The Crew of Lyø (MHV904)Ole Thomassen, CapitainChristina Hald-Andersen, Communication officerHans Fredrik Kristensen, NavigatorKent Jensen, MedicMichael Hansen, Deck handPer Madsen, Deck HandChristian Pedersen, Deck handSv. Aage Nielsen, Deck handMargit Korsager, Deck handTorben Peytz, EngineerBirger Olesen, EngineerKim Samsoe, Cook * * *BackgroundBalex Delta operational response exercises have been held annually since 1989. Throughout this time HELCOM has steadily improved the readiness of the countries around the Baltic to jointly respond to oil spills at sea. Regional cooperation on preparedness and response to pollution incidents has however much longer roots, being a part of the first 1974 Helsinki Convention and followed by a series of related Recommendations right at the start of the permanent HELCOM activities in early 1980s.  HELCOM is an intergovernmental organization made up of the nine Baltic Sea coastal countries and the European Union. Founded in 1974, its primary aims as a governing body are to protect the marine environment of the Baltic Sea from all sources of pollution, as well as to ensure safe maritime navigation. The official name of HELCOM is the Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission; it is the governing body of the Helsinki Convention. * * * For more information, please contact:Hermanni Backer Professional Secretary for Maritime, Response and Fish groups HELCOM Tel:  +358 46 8509199 Skype: helcom02 E-mail: hermanni.backer(at)helcom.fi

Danish Naval Home Guard vessel MHV 904 Lyø sails 700 nautical miles with 12 crew to participate in HELCOM oil response exercise off Klaipeda in the Baltic Sea.

​​​On 30 June 2016, by Harry Liiv, Chair of HELCOM 2014-16 Estonian chairmanship in HELCOM focused on pollution management, management and planning of marine protected areas as well as on information that we use to assess the status of the sea.  During the Estonian chairmanship the Baltic Sea countries reached important milestones. HELCOM launched and has progressed on a major project to prepare the Second Holistic Assessment of the Baltic Sea and the Regional Action Plan on Marine Litter was adopted. One of the biggest and most difficult achievements was the HELCOM agreement to apply for a NECA status for the Baltic Sea in IMO despite the numerous socio-economic and technical constraints on the way.  Also the ban on discharges of untreated sewage from passenger ships was formalised by IMO in the spring 2016, upon joint request by the HECOM countries to designate the Baltic Sea as a special area for this type of pollution under international law. In March 2016 the Contracting Parties for the Helsinki Convention finally adopted the long waited recommendation on sustainable aquaculture in the Baltic Sea region. HELCOM’s work was also useful for the EU member states which had to update the existing river basin management plans and establish programs of measures to implement the national marine strategies. As the HELCOM chairman I would like to congratulate all the HELCOM members our, partners and the HELCOM Secretariat on the successful completion of the Estonian chairmanship.

Summary notes on the accomplishments of the Estonian Chairmanship of HELCOM 2014-16, by Harry Liiv, Estonia.

​​​​​​​​​​Reaching a healthy Baltic Sea ecosystem by 2021, promoting innovation for a sustainable Blue Economy and tackling the challenge of regional governance are the main priorities for the European Union now chairing HELCOM until 30 June 2018. The Chairmanship of the Helsinki Commission rotates between all the Contracting Parties every two years according to their alphabetical order in English.​Ms Marianne Wenning, Director for Quality of Life, Water and Air in the European Commission, and Mr. Matjaž Malgaj, Head of the Unit that deals with Marine Environment and Water Industry, also in the European Commission, are nominated as Chair and Vice-Chair of HELCOM on behalf of the EU.  “It is an honour to take over the responsibilities of HELCOM Chair and also rather exciting at this point in time, as there are major deliverables expected in the next two years, including the first results of the HELCOM holistic assessment in mid-2017”, says Ms Wenning.  “The assessment will reveal the changes in the Baltic Sea ecosystem health since 2010 and provide a lot of new information about the pressures affecting the sea, as well as analysing the measures and economic impact”, she continues. The priorities of the EU Chairmanship also include responding effectively to key pressures by implementing the regional action plan for marine litter and promoting sustainable agricultural practices, among others. The EU intends to promote knowledge and innovation in the Baltic Sea, in particular by the use of the BONUS programme[1], and also foster a well-managed network of marine protected areas. In addition, the priorities lift up regional governance, more specifically securing cooperation with Regional Fisheries Bodies and contributing to international ocean governance. All the priorities of the EU Chairmanship of HELCOM have been summarized in a also available in print format. Estonia held the Chairmanship until 30 June 2016.  reflecting the accomplishments during that time have been prepared by the receding Chair, Harry Liiv, Estonia.[1] Joint Baltic Sea Research and Development Programme (BONUS), >> * * * Note for editors  is an intergovernmental organization made up of the nine Baltic Sea coastal countries and the European Union. Founded in 1974, its primary aims as a governing body are to protect the marine environment of the Baltic Sea from all sources of pollution, as well as to ensure safe maritime navigation. The official name of HELCOM is the Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission; it is the governing body of the Helsinki Convention. * * * For more information, please contact:Johanna LaurilaInformation SecretaryHELCOMTel: +358 40 523 8988Skype: helcom70E-mail: johanna.laurila(at)helcom.fi Katarzyna WolosCommunications officeEnvironment Directorate-General (DG ENV) of the European CommissionTel: +32 229-97981E-mail: katarzyna.wolos(at)ec.europa.eu

Read the new priorities. The Chairmanship of the Helsinki Commission rotates between all the Contracting Parties every two years according to their alphabetical order in English.

​​​​​​​​​This week the positive progress in management of ships’ sewage in the Baltic Sea region is further boosted by a on Port Reception Facilities (PRF) in Kiel, Germany. HELCOM keeps cleaner practices in sewage treatment a high priority on land, at sea and in ports alike. The topics of the international workshop, organized by BSH, BPO and BMUB*, cover political, technical and legal issues and ways how to address the challenges ahead, finding common solutions such as the identification of best practices and exchange of technical know-how, and promoting cooperation, among others.  ​​​​​A major milestone was reached through HELCOM cooperation​ last April, when IMO agreed that the Baltic Sea special area for sewage discharges from passenger ships will take effect by latest 2021​ (for most voyages). Photo: Shutterstock The Baltic was the first sea in the world to receive status as a special area for and have this status enforced by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). Set to come into effect in June 2021, passenger ships, including cruise ships, will be limited to discharging sewage into port reception facilities or alternatively at sea only after treatment with very advanced on-board sewage treatment plants able to reduce nutrient input into the sea. Passenger traffic by sea is important to the whole Baltic Sea region but it should not be a burden to the vulnerable marine environment. Sewage created by these vessels contains nutrients, such as phosphorus and nitrogen, which aggravate algal blooms and other symptoms of eutrophication, one of the main environmental concerns in the Baltic Sea area. While not the biggest source of nutrients in the Baltic Sea, ship sewage is not insignificant. With over 7.15 million person days spent on cruise ships in the Baltic Sea, and 40 million international ferry passengers per year, proper sewage disposal is important to protect the health of the Baltic Sea. Other initiatives by HELCOM partners will also be sustaining the Baltic Sea special area status for pollution from sewage. Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) has announced of its on wastewater discharges in the Baltic Sea, to test the availability and adequacy of PRFs in the regions’ cruise ports and identify challenges and bottlenecks. In addition, Baltic Ports Organization (BPO) in its 2016 in September will focus on ports in pursuit of sustainable solutions, ship owners looking for zero emissions and Baltic environmental regulations. At the same time, HELCOM Cooperation on PRF will meet to discuss e.g. the updates for the 2014 Overview on Baltic Sea PRF. *: International workshop on PRF for the Baltic Sea as special area according to MARPOL Annex IV is organized by the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH) in cooperation with the Port of Kiel and Baltic Ports Organization (BPO) on behalf of the German Federal Environment Ministry (BMUB), on 30 June–1 July 2016. * * *Note for editors is an intergovernmental organization made up of the nine Baltic Sea coastal countries and the European Union. Founded in 1974, its primary aims as a governing body are to protect the marine environment of the Baltic Sea from all sources of pollution, as well as to ensure safe maritime navigation. The official name of HELCOM is the Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission; it is the governing body of the Helsinki Convention. * * * For more information, please contact:Hermanni Backer Professional Secretary for Maritime, Response and Fish groups HELCOM Tel:  +358 46 8509199 Skype: helcom02 E-mail: hermanni.backer(at)helcom.fi

Challenges ahead from political, technical and legal perspectives and common solutions will be discussed in an international workshop on Port Reception Facilities for ships’ sewage in Kiel, Germany.

​​​​​​Latvia and Lithuania demonstrate joint onshore capacity at Balex Delta 2016. During Balex Delta regional exercise in Klaipeda this week​, Latvian and Lithuanian teams worked side by side on the shore. This international dimension of the onshore exercise is a new aspect in HELCOM context and demonstrate how the regional response cooperation in the Baltic Sea evolves.​Laura Mazmaca from the Latvian State Environmental Service is happy about the cross-country cooperation. “Latvia and Lithuania have always been close neighbours but lately especially our onshore response cooperation has developed. After a joint firefighting operation in the Neringa area in 2012, our firefighting services purchased joint onshore response equipment as a part of an EU project in 2013. In Balex Delta 2016 we can show the benefits of such close cooperation also to the rest of the Baltic Sea region.” Photo: Konrad Wrzecionkowski/WWF Poland​​​​A ten-person team from the Liepaja department of the Latvian state fire and rescue service participated in this year’s exercise in Klaipeda, 100km to the south from their home across the border in Lithuania. The Latvians exercised alongside four teams from Lithuanian coastal fire and rescue services, seaport authority, municipalities and private companies. In total around a hundred staff participated in the on shore exercise. The Baltic Sea coastal countries have worked hard during last years to enhance regional work on response on the shore. The 1992 Helsinki Convention, the legal basis of HELCOM work, was changed in 2013 to more explicitly cover spill response during situations when pollution has reached the shore. In addition to this formal legal step a targeted expert group, HELCOM Shore, has polished common regional best practices for such international on shore response. But how this international onshore dimension should be exercised in the region is still somewhat open.  Sonja Dobo, Chair of the HELCOM regional shore group and coordinator for oil spill preparedness and response at the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency explains: “Multilateral onshore exercises in the Baltic Sea region is still a rather new and unexplored field and on a very different level of maturity compared to offshore exercises. Roughly a handful of bi- or multilateral onshore exercises have been conducted since 2011 when we got our first experience from Sweden. At that time, four nations in the central Baltic – Sweden, Estonia, Finland and Russia – participated in both a table top and a field exercise on the shore as part of the EU project ENSACO. More than a hundred organisations from eleven counties took part in total.”​Photo: HELCOMHELCOM has an ongoing process to develop Balex Delta operational exercises to make best use of the equipment and staff gathered. Many lessons have been learnt so far as the countries have practiced together at sea for decades while the onshore exercises on a larger scale are only a couple of years old.    Ms Dobo continues: “One thing we learned since the big exercise in 2011 is to keep it simple and focused. Onshore response is a complex field. There are big differences between countries’ legislation and organisational structures as well as our different cultures and languages.””Setting clear aims and goals for the exercise is necessary as well as giving high priority to the evaluation. Every exercise has given a lot of new important knowledge and we need to share these experiences with each other,” she says.However, while field exercises require a lot of resources, planning and conducting a simple table top exercise may also provide much new knowledge for the regional community and could also be explored as a regular element. BackgroundOn the shore response is commonly under the responsibility of municipalities or rescue services and for this reason commonly require additional coordination with the offshore response units. In addition, as the Baltic Sea is a relatively small sea area, a large scale spill may contaminate several kilometres of shoreline and affect both the vegetation and the animals – and require international assistance. In order to be prepared for such severe situations it is essential that effective mechanisms for international assistance between the Helsinki Convention Contracting Parties for pollution incidents on the shore are well established and ready to operate efficiently. HELCOM Response Manual Volume III covers international cooperation on combating spillages of oil and other harmful substances on the shore and the HELCOM Expert Working Group on Response on the Shore (EWG SHORE) works to improve the cooperation.​* * *The

works to ensure swift national and international responses to maritime
pollution incidents, including in case of accident the availability of
appropriate equipment and the joint practice of response procedures in
cooperation with neighbouring states. The group also coordinates the aerial
surveillance of maritime shipping routes to detect oil spills and other potentially harmful substances released into
the Baltic Sea and help identify suspected polluters. The meetings
of the HELCOM Response Group have been held regularly among all Baltic Sea
countries and EU for over thirty years. * * * For more information, please contact:Hermanni BackerProfessional Secretary for Maritime, Response and Fish groupsHELCOMTel:  +358 46 8509199Skype: helcom02E-mail: hermanni.backer(at)helcom.fi​

Latvia and Lithuania demonstrate joint onshore capacity at Balex Delta 2016. This international dimension of the onshore exercise is a new aspect in HELCOM context.

​Ten cubic meters of popcorn played the leading role of a large oil slick today offshore Klaipeda, Lithuania, in the annual Baltic Sea pollution response exercise 2016. Fourteen ships from eight Baltic coastal states formed the HELCOM fleet simulating real life disaster response in a collision between an oil tanker and a trawler, involving a risk of damaging the nearby highly sensitive nature areas with 5,000 tons of crude oil. A large-scale national onshore exercise was organized simultaneously for deployment of the clean-up units as well as coordination between all the actors involved.  The simulated oil accident took place in the middle of particularly sensitive marine and coastal areas north of Klaipeda. The largest maritime counter-pollution drill of its kind in the Baltic Sea area – and one of the largest worldwide – has been a regular HELCOM practice for almost thirty years, in one of the most vulnerable and busiest sea areas in the world. All HELCOM member states take turns in hosting the annual exercise.  Igor Kuzmenko, Chief Coordinator of the exercise was pleased with the proceedings. “Today we set up a full-scale oil recovery operation at the site of the accident, and for the first time some countries’ response vessels, from Denmark, Finland, Latvia and Poland, arrived straight to the spill area, ‘on call’,  for added realism. The ships were successfully deploying oil containment booms and skimming equipment”, he said. The annual HELCOM Balex Delta was hosted this year by the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre of the Lithuanian Navy. The shore operation was coordinated by Klaipeda City Fire and Rescue Service. More than forty persons, many from outside the region, signed up as observers of the exercise.The aim of Balex Delta is to test the alarm procedures and the response capability of the HELCOM countries. Cooperation between combating units as well as staff functions are tested and trained for. Communication between the involved units during the exercise is also practiced by all the participating countries, as well as the interaction between offshore response units and shoreline clean-up units. At the same time, thanks to this year’s large onshore response exercise, the national capabilities and alert procedures concerning shoreline clean-up will also be tested. The response vessels of HELCOM fleet were successfully deploying oil containment booms and skimming equipment​.Background operational response exercises have been held annually since 1989. Throughout this time HELCOM has steadily improved the readiness of the countries around the Baltic to jointly respond to oil spills at sea. Regional cooperation on preparedness and response to pollution incidents has however much longer roots, being a part of the first 1974 Helsinki Convention and followed by a series of related Recommendations right at the start of the permanent HELCOM activities in the early 1980s. The first meeting of the expert group on pollution response took place in 1977. Today, with 80 per cent of global merchandise trade by volume carried by sea and handled by ports worldwide[1], the economic importance of maritime transport – and the risk of collisions and other accidents – cannot be overemphasized. In the Baltic Sea, ship traffic is dense and maritime transport has been in the increase in the recent past.[1] UNCTAD, Review of Maritime Transport 2013.   * * * Note to Editors:The Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission, usually referred to as the Helsinki Commission, or , is an intergovernmental organisation of all the nine Baltic Sea countries and the EU which works to protect the marine environment of the Baltic Sea from all sources of pollution. HELCOM is the governing body of the “Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area,” known as the Helsinki Convention.  * * * For more information, please contact:Heli HaapasaariChair of HELCOM Response Working GroupFinnish Environment Institute – SYKETel: +358 40 1793050E-mail: heli.haapasaari(at)environment.fi Johanna LaurilaInformation SecretaryHELCOMTel: +358 40 523 8988Skype: helcom70E-mail: johanna.laurila(at)helcom.fi Hermanni BackerProfessional Secretary for Maritime and ResponseHELCOMTel:  +358 46 8509199Skype: helcom02E-mail: hermanni.backer(at)helcom.fi

Fourteen ships formed the HELCOM fleet today offshore Klaipeda, Lithuania, which took action in disaster response simulation involving an oil tanker and a trawler.

​​Final stage for HELCOM in making the Baltic Sea area cleaner from Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) emissions from ships was reached in the Heads of Delegation meeting in Laulasmaa, Estonia this week. The final decision on whether the Baltic Sea becomes a NOx Emission Control Area (NECA) is in the hands of the International Maritime Organization (IMO). According to estimates, Baltic Sea NECA has potential to reduce the annual nitrogen input cost-efficiently and significantly – around 7 kilotons – to the Baltic Sea. NOx emissions from shipping is a major source of airborne deposition of nitrogen, aggravating the serious eutrophication of the Baltic Sea.​The Baltic Sea NECA application will be submitted in parallel to a similar NECA document from the North Sea countries. For the industry this will be useful as the two neighbouring NECA areas will create an area with identical requirements. Moreover, HELCOM will continue to promote and also follow up on the impact of applying advanced technologies, such as the ones leading to the establishment of Baltic NECA. Other decisions by the delegates from all the Baltic coastal states as well as the EU include the launching of a public online follow up system – HELCOM Explorer – for reviewing progress in accomplishing the majority of HELCOM commitments and publishing of a new assessment on pharmaceuticals. In addition, the meeting participants approved two guidelines related to maritime spatial planning (): Guidelines on transboundary consultations, public participation and co-operation, and a second set for the implementation of ecosystem-based approach in MSP in the Baltic Sea area. Another agreement by the delegates is to change the hosting of data on ships’ movement in the Baltic – HELCOM Automatic Identification System (AIS) – from Denmark to Norway by the end of this year. All Baltic Sea countries being also EU member states provide AIS information to European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) via the HELCOM AIS, and hosting by Norway will ensure the continuation of this service. The two-year period of the Estonian Chairmanship of HELCOM will be terminated in two weeks and the turn is handed over to the European Union with their Chairmanship priorities already finalized. Reflections on the accomplishments of HELCOM in relation to the priorities of the Estonian Chairmanship were presented in the meeting and published in writing soon. . All meeting documents will be made available soon after the Meeting.Matjaz Malgaj of EU, forthcoming Vice-Chair of HELCOM (left), ​receives the symbolic key of HELCOM Chairmanship from Harry Liiv of Estonia, the current Chair until 30 June 2016.​* * *Note for editorsThe Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission, usually referred to as , is an intergovernmental organization of the nine Baltic Sea coastal countries and the European Union working to protect the marine environment of the Baltic Sea from all sources of pollution and to ensure safety of navigation in the region.* * *For more information, please contact:Johanna LaurilaInformation SecretaryHELCOMTel: +358 40 523 8988Skype: helcom70E-mail: johanna.laurila(at)helcom.fi​

Decision made this week unanimously by HELCOM Heads of Delegation; potential for considerable Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) reductions

​What                     Oil response exercise HELCOM Balex Delta 2016 When                   Tuesday 21 June 2016 at 09.00–15.00 (CET). Operational phase at sea and on the shore. Debriefing at 18.00–19.00                                                                Who                      Fifteen specially equipped response vessels from eight Baltic coastal countries; Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Sweden, and around 120 participants of the national shoreline response exercise.                                 Where                  Exercise area at sea: North of Klaipeda port, LithuaniaExercise area on the shore: Karkle beach, north of Klaipeda town in front of Zilvitis camp Exercise debriefing: Amberton Klaipeda Hotel, Naujojo Sodo g. 1C WhyThe HELCOM Balex Delta exercise simulates a large real life oil catastrophe in one of the most vulnerable – and busiest – sea areas in the world. The goal is to recover as much oil as possible in the open sea before it would reach the shores, as estimates are that this is roughly ten times more cost-efficient than shoreline clean-up. The annual HELCOM Balex Delta is hosted this year by the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre of the Lithuanian Navy. The shore operation is coordinated by Klaipeda City Fire and Rescue Service. More than forty persons, many from outside the region, have signed up as observers of the exercise. The exercise programme, list of participating units at sea and on shore, as well as the list of vessels and equipment are provided as attachments. HELCOM Balex Delta, organized since the late 1980s, test the procedures documented in the HELCOM Response Manual and the response capability of the HELCOM member countries in case of a major accident and an international response operation. The general objective of the Balex Delta exercises is to ensure that every Contracting Party is able to lead a major response operation. Media representatives are asked to apply for accreditationby 17 June 2016, by providing contact information (name, media, e-mail, phone number) to:antanas.brencius@mil.lt. * * *Note for editors:The Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission, usually referred to as , is an intergovernmental organisation of the nine Baltic Sea coastal countries and the European Union working to protect the marine environment of the Baltic Sea from all sources of pollution and to ensure safety of navigation in the region.HELCOM is the governing body of the “Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area,” more usually known as the Helsinki Convention, from 1974. * * *For further information, please contact:Johanna Laurila (Ms)Information SecretaryHELCOMMobile: +358 40 523 8988E-mail: johanna.laurila(at)helcom.fi Antanas Brencius (Mr.)Civil-Military Co-operation (CIMIC) OfficerMaritime rescue coordination centerTel: +370 46 391 207Mobile: +370 698 18 196E-mail: antanas.brencius@mil.lt

The annual oil response exercise HELCOM Balex Delta 2016 will be held in Klaipeda, Lithuania on 21 June – please accreditate by 17 June 2016.