Category: MARITIME

HELCOM recently published its report on aerial surveillance of discharges at sea in 2018, confirming the trend of reduction of spills in the Baltic Sea, especially mineral oils.

Despite 62 spills observed in 2018 being slightly higher than last year – with 52 incidents, the lowest on record – overall trends are pointing towards a steady decrease. Aerial surveillance of spills started almost thirty years ago in 1989, when 763 pollution occurrences were detected.

“Coupled to the AIS system that is in place in the Baltic Sea and that monitors movements of ships as well as cleaner shipping practices, aerial surveillance has proven to be an effective deterrent for illegal discharges at sea,” said Markus Helavuori, the HELCOM Professional Secretary for maritime affairs.

In 2018, mineral oil accounted for less than half of all detected spills. The majority of detections were classified as “other” and “unknown” substances, consisting for instance of chemicals, hazardous substances, vegetable oils or greywaters from ships – such as from showers and kitchens.

“The lack of appropriate sensor systems available to identify such spills by aerial surveillance are still of concern, as some of these substances may pose a threat to the marine environment,” said Helavuori.

Currently coordinated by the HELCOM Informal Working Group on Aerial Surveillance (IWGAS), surveillance of spills started in 1989 to detect spills of mineral oil. Since 2014, spills of other and unknown substances have been added to the reporting.

Through the Helsinki Convention (Article 14, Annex VII, Regulation 7), the HELCOM members – the nine Baltic countries and the European Union – have agreed to monitor pollution incidents and spills, making “necessary assessments of the situation and [taking] adequate response action in order to avoid or minimize subsequent pollution effects.”

The HELCOM Recommendation 34E/4 further advises to monitor the whole of the Baltic Sea area with regular airborne surveillance, to develop and improve the existing remote sensing systems, and to coordinate surveillance activities which take place outside territorial waters.

• Download the report

Early September was shipping-intensive, with HELCOM participating in three events on maritime activities in Sweden.

HELCOM first promoted cleaner shipping at the Donsö Shipping Meet (DSM19), a biennial gathering of private sector and other stakeholders on shipping technologies where delegates from all over the world met on the Swedish island of Donsö from 3 to 4 September 2019.

HELCOM attended the DSM19 together with the Clean Shipping Project Platform (CSHIPP) that brings together projects and organisations to thrust ahead clean shipping in the Baltic Sea region. The objective of CSHIPP is to increase the impact of and connect the dots between the several Baltic Sea projects on clean shipping.

Also on Donsö, green fuel technology and cleaner shipping was on the agenda of the HELCOM Green Team meeting on 4 September 2019. HELCOM Green Team promotes public and private co-operation at national and Baltic Sea levels to enhance development and uptake of green technology and alternative fuels in shipping.

To better understand the main barriers hindering the adoption of green shipping technologies and alternative fuels in the Baltic Sea, Green Team earlier established a reporting mechanism that was reviewed during the meeting and which highlighted alternative fuels infrastructure, biofuels, financing and onshore power supply as particular challenges.

Last but not least, HELCOM participated in the Shipping and the Environment II conference in Gothenburg, Sweden from 4 to 6 September, where HELCOM held a policy workshop on the future needs on clean shipping in the Baltic Sea region. The results of discussions – notably about onshore power, use of scrubbers and biofouling – are intended to be presented to Maritime, the HELCOM working group dealing with shipping-related matters.

The conference also focussed on policies and strategies for a more environmentally sustainable shipping sector taking into account climate change, good air quality in coastal regions as well as good environmental status of marine and coastal land ecosystems in line with the Sustainable Development Goals.

Shipping is a major action area for HELCOM, with particular emphasis on safe navigation and environmentally friendly and sustainable maritime activities. HELCOM heavily focusses on reducing maritime pollution through providing guidance on issues such as ballast water, sewage from ships and emissions.

Routeing and safety of navigation in the Baltic Sea is another key HELCOM area, which will be addressed during the Group of Experts on Safety of Navigation (SAFENAV) group scheduled in Stockholm on 19 September 2019 as well as during the meeting of the Maritime Working Group to be held in Lisbon from 23 to 26 September 2019.

Furthermore, to prepare for accidental spills of oil and chemicals, the BALEX DELTA exercises are conducted every year by HELCOM members. This year, the exercises took place in Bornholm, Denmark.

IWGAS-2019 participants in front of the new Estonian surveillance plane in Tallinn on 21 March 2019. The plane is used to track both accidental spills and illegal discharges at sea. © HELCOMImproving surveillance of spills and discharges at sea was a main subject at the Annual Meeting of the HELCOM Informal Working Group on Aerial Surveillance (IWGAS 2019) that was held in Tallinn, Estonia from 20 to 21 March 2019.In Tallinn, the HELCOM members presented their respective national surveillance activities and finalised their work on the 2018 edition of the HELCOM Annual report on discharges observed during aerial surveillance in the Baltic Sea.To ensure a more efficient surveillance of the Baltic Sea, IWGAS 2019 notably agreed to update the coverage requirements of satellite imagery. Aerial surveillance is key for responding to discharges at sea of hazardous substances such as oil or chemicals, regardless of being accidental or intentional.“Aerial surveillance coupled to the Automatic Identification System (AIS) that tracks vessel movements is an efficient way to monitor illegal discharges at sea,” said Markus Helavuori, the HELCOM Professional Secretary in charge of maritime affairs, adding that “regular aerial surveillance can be very dissuasive.” At IWGAS 2019, Estonia also presented its new surveillance plane, a Beechcraft King Air B350ER that is in operation since July 2018.The meeting took place at the premises of the Ministry of the Interior of Estonia and of the Estonian Police and Border Guard Aviation Group.***For more information:Markus HelavuoriHELCOM Professional Secretary in charge of maritime affairsmarkus.helavuori@helcom.fi

Improving surveillance of spills and discharges at sea was a main subject at the Annual Meeting of the HELCOM Informal Working Group on Aerial Surveillance (IWGAS 2019) that was held in Tallinn, Estonia from 20 to 21 March 2019.

The HELCOM MARITIME 18-2018 Meeting participants posing for a group photo at the the German Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH) in Hamburg, Berlin.Baltic Sea maritime matters took centre stage at the 18th Meeting of the HELCOM Maritime Working Group (MARITIME 18-2018) that was held in Hamburg, Germany from 25 to 27 September 2018. The Meeting approved key reports and a revised recommendation, and set the agenda for future doings, notably preparing for the update of the , the region’s strategic tool for a healthy Baltic Sea.”MARITIME 18-2018 was an important meeting on the HELCOM calendar, continuing the work on measures to prevent pollution from ships, but also paving the way for Baltic Sea maritime issues for the next years to come. It was an essential step towards the Baltic Sea Action Plan update process that will feature prominently on our future agenda,” said Markus Helavuori, the HELCOM Professional Secretary in charge of maritime affairs.Based on the outcomes of the  and  held earlier this year, the BSAP is set to be renewed after its current end date of 2021. In Hamburg, the  on maritime activities – “Maritime activities carried out in an environmentally friendly way” – was given special attention, not only on its future shape but also with proposals for fulfilling the current and agreed upon actions that are yet to be accomplished by 2021.The Meeting also approved the update to the  on the HELCOM Automatic Identification System (AIS), which specifies the procedures of sharing AIS data and also addresses GDPR regulations.In a bid to strengthen private and public sector collaboration for eco-friendly maritime activities, the participants endorsed the . The reporting mechanism addresses the main barriers, obstacles and challenges hindering the development and investments in . Furthermore, the Meeting approved the Annual HELCOM report on shipping accidents in the Baltic Sea area in 2014-2017. According to the document, more than 700 ship accidents were recorded in the Baltic Sea area between 2014 and 2017, with the majority occurring in ports. Annual reports on shipping accidents in the Baltic Sea area have been compiled by HELCOM since the year 2000.Taking into account the update of the Baltic Sea Action Plan, the participants also revised the HELCOM Maritime Work Plan for 2018-2020. The work plan mainly focuses on measures and actions related to maritime safety, emissions and discharges from shipping, and statistics on activities of ships in the Baltic Sea.During the meeting that was held in the premises of the , matters related to air emissions from ships, port reception facilities, marine litter, ballast water, safety of navigation were also discussed among others.The MARITIME 18-2018 Meeting was officially opened by Ms Monika Breuch-Moritz, President of the BSH, who highlighted in her welcome speech that the HELCOM work “is an important contribution to the global vision of green shipping and the sustainable development of marine and coastal areas.” The outcome document of MARITIME 18-2018 is available . –For more information:Markus HelavuoriProfessional Secretarymarkus.helavuari@helcom.fi 

Baltic Sea maritime matters took centre stage at the 18th Meeting of the HELCOM Maritime Working Group (MARITIME 18-2018) that was held in Hamburg, Germany from 25 to 27 September 2018.

Participating vessels berthing ahead of the BALEX DELTA exercise in Karlskrona, Sweden on 27 August 2018. © BALEX DELTA 2018

The Baltic Sea region’s ability to respond to major maritime incidents will be thoroughly tested once more during the BALEX DELTA 2018 exercise that will be held in Karlskrona, Sweden from 28 to 30 August 2018.

The recently published HELCOM report Baltic Sea Sewage Port Reception Facilities – HELCOM overview 2018 provides information on the status of sewage port reception facilities (PRF) and their use in the Baltic Sea area, with a focus on international cruise traffic. A total of 38 ports were assessed in the 2018 version. 

“This publication gives a comprehensive overview of the sewage port reception facilities in the Baltic Sea, and we plan to update it regularly in order to always reflect the current situation,” said Markus Helavuori, the HELCOM Professional Secretary in charge of maritime affairs.

According to the report, most ports channel the wastewater from the ships to the municipal sewer system or treatment plants, either directly through fixed reception points or using tankers or barges. Upgrades are currently underway in some ports.

The overview has been submitted for information to the 73^rd session of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 73) that will be held from 22 to 26 October 2018.

The Baltic was the first sea in the world to receive status as a special area for sewage under the IMO MARPOL Convention, Annex IV.

Under the convention that is 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 after treatment in advanced on-board sewage treatment plants. 

The report has been compiled by HELCOM based on information from port authorities, national administrations, and the cruise and port industries. HELCOM AIS data for the period 2006 to 2017 was also used.

PRESS RELEASE 9 MARCH 2018 – After two years of work, HELCOM today releases a comprehensive assessment of maritime activities in the Baltic Sea. The report covers a wide range human activities at sea, from commercial maritime traffic to leisure boating and from fisheries to hazardous submerged objects.HELCOM releases today the most comprehensive assessment of maritime activities in the Baltic Sea region currently available – covering distribution of activities at sea, developments over time, related environmental issues as well as future perspectives and scenarios. The vast number of activities addressed include operational and accidental pollution from maritime traffic, fisheries, aquaculture, offshore energy production, cables and pipelines, submerged hazardous objects, and leisure boating. Visual contents of the HELCOM Maritime Assessment 2018.Shipping and pollution A large part of the report is dedicated to maritime traffic – still the most common maritime activity in the Baltic Sea – and to mapping it on a regional scale. In terms of environmental effects, the report highlights that some types of ship-based pollution have already been effectively dealt with in the Baltic Sea over the last decades, including 90% reductions in both operational oil spills and sulphur oxide (SOx) emissions from ships exhaust gases.For other types of ship-based pollution, recent decisions will result in more reductions in the near future. Those decisions include banning of untreated sewage discharges by 2021 and a requirement of 80% reduction of nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions for new ships built 2021 or later. However, some types of ship-based pollution remain unquantified, including litter, chemical residuals, and anti-fouling paints, and others, such as underwater sound, are yet to be addressed. The concluding chapter of the report explores future scenarios of maritime traffic and related environmental regulations.Stable accident numbers, increase in aquaculture and energy productionShip accidents in the Baltic Sea occurred at a fairly stable level of 300 accidents per year during the period 2011–2015, 4 % of which led to loss of life, serious injuries, or environmental damages. The coastal countries have relatively well-developed systems in place to prevent accidents by increasing safety of navigation. As an example, nearly 200 000 km2 of seabed, more than the combined surface area of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, have been resurveyed between 2001 and 2016 by national hydrographic agencies in the Baltic Sea, bringing the accuracy of nautical charts to a new level. The coastal countries also have response resources in place. However, new developments, such as carriage of modern low-sulphur fuels, require updates and new solutions for response procedures.In other chapters, the assessment informs on developments such as the recent and upcoming increases in sea based aquaculture, wind power, and offshore oil and gas production. The chapter on hazardous submerged objects draws attention to the environmental hazards in the legacy of dumped and lost military material, wrecks, and industrial waste.Groundbreaking data useThe report makes unprecedented use of the regional HELCOM Automatic Identification System (AIS) data, including high-resolution information on vessel movements in the entire sea basin since 2005. The extensive data is especially visible in the chapters related to maritime traffic and fisheries. Besides presenting a large number of maps and illustrations, the report includes a detailed description of the methodology used to extract and create the presented information from raw AIS data.The assessment also synthesises a number of other regional datasets on maritime activities in the Baltic Sea area stemming from regular national reporting to HELCOM. These cover issues such as spills observed via aerial surveillance, maritime accidents, response operations, port reception facilities, progress in hydrographic re-surveys, and aquaculture activities.An example of HELCOM collaborationThe 250-page report is the result of a two-year collaborative effort between the editorial team in the HELCOM Secretariat as well as national experts, providing review and additional material, and regional projects.The report is intended to support the update of the “” as well as to benefit the work of the relevant HELCOM Working Groups. It also enables the HELCOM Contracting Parties (Denmark, Estonia, European Union, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russian Federation and Sweden) to demonstrate achievements, and plan future regional work, on the regional objective “Environmentally friendly maritime activities”, agreed as part of the in 2007. In addition to this traditional publication, a large number of GIS datasets generated in the process, particularly AIS based maps on maritime activities, are released simultaneously for the general public via the (MADS). These maps are anticipated to be interesting and useful for various purposes beyond HELCOM cooperation, including national maritime spatial planning and research. The code used in producing these datasets is also made available for the same purpose via the GitHub platform, to help similar initiatives within and beyond the region.The HELCOM Maritime Assessment 2018 can be accessed at:

(12 MB) The GIS materials and code underlying the assessment can be accessed at:AIS Explorer: HELCOM Map and Data service, e.g. and GitHub:
 * * *Note for editors

is an intergovernmental organization
made up of the nine Baltic Sea coastal countries and the European Union.
Originally established in 1974, its primary aims as a governing body of the
Helsinki Convention (1974/1992) 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.HELCOM
works to address environmental effects of human activities on land and at sea.
Its working groups consist of national delegates and observers (industry and
civil society representatives). Groups dealing with measures to address
activities at sea include the HELCOM Maritime, Response, Fish and Pressure
Working Groups.The
drafting of an assessment of maritime activities in the Baltic Sea was agreed
by the coastal countries and EU during the 2013 . For more information, please contact:Hermanni Backer Professional Secretary for Maritime, Response and Fish groups HELCOM Tel:  +358 46 8509199 E-mail: hermanni.backer(at)helcom.fi

HELCOM today releases a comprehensive assessment of maritime activities in the Baltic Sea. The report covers a wide range human activities at sea, from commercial maritime traffic to leisure boating and from fisheries to hazardous submerged objects.

Three-year project targets shipping’s harmful hitchhikers: invasive speciesExpected results: knowledge, strategies, and tools for environmentally friendly shippingAn ambitious project is starting its activity with a two-day kick-off meeting in Helsinki, Finland on 9–10 November. The COMPLETE project – short for “Completing management options in the Baltic Sea Region (BSR) to reduce risk of invasive species introduction by shipping” – is a three-year (2017-2020) EU project.COMPLETE is aimed at minimizing the introduction and spread of harmful aquatic organisms and pathogens because of shipping. It will do so by developing consistent and adaptive management strategies and tools for the Baltic Sea region, addressing both major pathways of introductions via ships: ballast water and biofouling. As such, it directly addresses the objective “No introductions of alien species from ships” as well as the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive’s (MSFD) Descriptor 2: “NIS introduced as a result of human activities are at levels that do not adversely alter the ecosystem”. With respect to biofouling, the project will consider not only the risk of species introduction, but also the risk of release of hazardous substances from antifouling.COMPLETE will deliver knowledge and tools to carry out HELCOM’s new roadmap for regional implementation of the outstanding issues on the Ballast Water Management Convention (BWMC) in the Baltic Sea (, para.6.103). It will also assist relevant authorities in implementing Regulation (EU) No 1143/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council, which aims to protect native biodiversity and ecosystem services. By addressing key challenges of the Baltic Sea Region, the ultimate goal of the project is to develop operational frameworks and provide user-oriented tools, in close cooperation with relevant stakeholders, in order to make shipping more environmentally friendly.The Kick-off meeting of the project, held 9-10 November in Helsinki, gathers project partners to start implementing this project. Anna-Liisa Perttilä, Environmental Co-ordinator at Finnlines Plc, provides an invited key note address.Coordination of the project is conducted by Kotka Maritime Research Association (KMRA/FI). Project partnership is formed by the following:Klaipėda University (KU/LT)Helsinki Commission (HELCOM)Finnish Environment InstituteMarine Research Centre (SYKE/FI)University of Gdansk (UG/PL)University of Helsinki, Department of Environmental Sciences (UH/FI)Chalmers University of Technology (CHALMERS/SE)Environmental Development Association (EDA/LV)Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH/DE)South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences (XAMK/FI)University of Tartu (UTARTU/EE)Keep the Archipelago Tidy Association (KAT/FI)Associated organizations represent shipping companies, port authorities, governmental bodies, NGOs, and research institutions from all Baltic Sea countries. Project partners have long-term expertise and know-how in innovative solutions for shipping, risk assessment and management systems, surveillance, and monitoring. The participation of HELCOM as a full project partner will ensure involvement of relevant institutions from all Baltic Sea countries, harmonizing implementation of the Ballast Water Management Convention and elaboration of the Baltic Sea Region biofouling management strategy. Further dialogue between science and managers as well as industry and other stakeholders will be established through an Advisory Board.* * *Note for editorsThe Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission, usually referred to as HELCOM, 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.During the last decade shipping has steadily increased in the Baltic Sea, reflecting intensifying co-operation and economic prosperity around the region. At the same time, increasing maritime transportation threatens fragile ecosystems and the livelihoods of the many people who depend on the sea. 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.* * *For more information, please contact:Miina Karjalainen Management coordinator, COMPLETE project Kotka Maritime Research Association Tel: +358-44-5222843 E-mail: Marta Ruiz Associate Professional Secretary HELCOM Tel: +358 40 6472424 Skype: helcom59 E-mail: marta.ruiz(at)helcom.fi 

Three-year project targets shipping’s harmful hitchhikers: invasive species – Expected results: knowledge, strategies, and tools for environmentally friendly shipping

IMO Ballast Water Management Convention for ships enters
into force 8 September 2017After over a decade of collaborative preparations, the
Baltic Sea region is well equipped for implementation

The International Convention for the Control and Management
of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments, originally signed in 2004, enters into
force today 8 September 2017. The Baltic Sea coastal countries are well
prepared for this major milestone, as they have cooperated on technical details
of its regional implementation within HELCOM for over a decadeRound goby. Photo: Žilvinas PūtysShips’ ballast water, routinely taken on by ships for stability
and structural integrity, may carry alien species which are harmful to the
marine ecosystems and biodiversity in many ways, especially in fragile marine
areas such as the Baltic Sea. The subject of the Convention, safe management of
ships’ ballast water, has a major role in preventing this route of spreading
non-indigenous species.Based on latest HELCOM data, 14 new non-indigenous species
have appeared in the Baltic Sea for the first time during 2011–2015, with over
130 introductions in total since the 19th century”The entry into force of the Ballast Water Management
Convention is a major step for the whole world but naturally also for the
Baltic Sea region. It will also put the results of our intensive regional
preparations to a real test. However, I am confident that with all their
expertise and the work done so far, the relevant HELCOM groups are well
prepared to support to any relevant implementation issues emerging during the
next years.” says Monika Stankiewicz, HELCOM Executive Secretary.Wide collaborative efforts come to fruitionImmediately after signature of the Convention in 2004, following
the pioneering work within the Baltic Sea scientific community and the
international developments around the Convention at IMO, the HELCOM Maritime
Working Group started substantial joint work in this field by establishing a
dedicated Ballast Water Correspondence Group under the lead of FinlandSince this start, the coastal countries of the Baltic Sea
have co-operated within HELCOM, as well as together with other regional seas
cooperation structures like OSPAR, on a number of specific issues around the
foreseen implementation of the Ballast Water Convention in the Baltic Sea
regionEven if the core work is carried out at the International
Maritime Organisation (IMO), this kind of supportive region-specific cooperation
on implementation is foreseen by the Ballast Water Convention itself (Article
13.3)Examples of concrete output from the preparatory regional cooperation
within HELCOM include a comprehensive harmonised implementation procedure on
exemptions (Reg. A-4 of the Convention) with a related , released in
a renewed form this autumn; a series of regional recommendations concerning
ballast water exchange (BWM.2/Circ.14, BWM.2/Circ.22, and BWM.2/Circ.39); as
well as keeping up-to-date on new invasions by a dedicated Since 2012, the core technical work has been carried out
within a dedicated intergovernmental task group – the Joint HELCOM-OSPAR Task
Group on Ballast Water Management Convention Exemptions (HELCOM/OSPAR TG
BALLAST) – formed by the participating countries and representatives of the
shipping industry and NGOs.Future work to tackle remaining issuesOver the years, several HELCOM projects have supported this
intergovernmental dialogue with substantial input, starting from the GEF funded
Baltic Sea regional project (2003–2007). The latest of these is the project
“COMPLETE” which will further develop the regional implementation during 2017–2019,
with HELCOM involvement and co-funding from the EU Interreg programmeAs one of the latest developments, a new roadmap for
regional implementation of the outstanding issues on Ballast Water Convention
in the Baltic Sea was adopted in December 2016 by the HELCOM Heads of
Delegation (HOD), replacing the completed HELCOM roadmap from 2007The upcoming meetings of the HELCOM Maritime working group
(10–12 October 2017, St.Petersburg) and HELCOM/OSPAR TG BALLAST (16–17 November
2017, Helsinki) will provide opportunities to consider substantial issues
related to the implementation of the Ballast Water Convention in the Baltic Sea
region. This includes following up on the progress on ratifying the BWM
Convention by the remaining coastal countries.Read more:  * Note for editors:During the last decade shipping has steadily increased in
the Baltic Sea, reflecting intensifying co-operation and economic prosperity
around the region. At the same time, increasing maritime transportation
threatens fragile ecosystems and the livelihoods of the many people who depend
on the seaHELCOM Maritime Working Group 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 regulationsHELCOM 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​

IMO Ballast Water Management Convention for ships enters into force 8 September 2017

The first meeting of the HELCOM GREEN TEAM strives to
advance sustainable shipping technology and new fuels in the region by
considering effective incentivesJoint session with HELCOM, CBSS, other regional
organisations, and stakeholders considers direction of regional efforts

Promoting sustainable shipping technology and new fuels in
the Baltic Sea is the theme of a full day event co-organised by HELCOM today,
Tuesday 5 September 2017, on the Island of Donsö in the Gothenburg archipelago.
 hoto: ShutterstockThe event is a part of the HELCOM commitment given in the UN
Ocean Conference in July 2017 to follow up the recent regulatory developments
in the Baltic Sea region, including restrictions to nitrogen oxide (NOx)
emissions from ships’ exhaust gases through a NOx Emission Control Area (NECA)The day will kick off with the first meeting of the HELCOM
Maritime Sub-group on Green Technology and Alternative Fuels for Shipping
(GREEN TEAM). The Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS) expert group
on maritime policy will meet in parallelThe afternoon will feature a dedicated session on a joint
regional agenda for green shipping, technology, and alternative fuels. At the
joint session, the nearly 70 registered participants from the networks of
HELCOM, CBSS, and a number of other participating organisations, as well as
other stakeholders, will consider past progress and identify priorities for
future regional workJust as the HELCOM GREEN TEAM sub-group in general (c.f. and ), the event is intended as a wide cooperation platform which is
open for public sector institutions and governments, maritime business, as well
as civil society (NGOs) interested in working together to advance sustainable
shipping technology and new fuels in the regionThe regional day is organised at the , the
largest shipping event in Sweden* * Note for editors: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 the governing body of the Helsinki Convention are to protect
the marine environment of the Baltic Sea from all sources of pollutionThis includes pollution from ships and safe maritime
navigation, fields where the work involves regional dimensions of IMO
regulations and initiatives. The full official name of HELCOM is the Baltic
Marine Environment Protection CommissionHELCOM Maritime Working Group of HELCOM 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 regulationsThe Maritime group has a number of advisory expert bodies
including 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, Green technology and Alternative
Fuels Platform for Shipping (GREEN TEAM), and HELCOM Cooperation Platform on
Port Reception Facilities (PRF)* * For more information, please contact:Anna PeterssonGREEN TEAM co-chair
Chair of HELCOM Maritime group
Head of Environment Section
Swedish Transport Agency
Tel: +46 10 4953 249
E-mail: anna.petersson(at)transportstyrelsen.se nita
Mäkinen
GREEN TEAM co-chairChief
Adviser to the Director General, Maritime Sector
Finnish Transport Safety Agency (TraFi)
Tel: +358 40 1624592
E-mail: anita.makinen(at)trafi.f ermanni
BackerProfessional
Secretary for Maritime, Response and FisHELCOTel: +358 46 850919Skype:
helcom0E-mail:
hermanni.backer(at)helcom.fi

The first meeting of the HELCOM GREEN TEAM strives to advance sustainable shipping technology and new fuels in the region by considering effective incentives.