Tag: HELCOM

The new, modernized HELCOM era starts hands-on work when the HELCOM group on the implementation of the ecosystem approach (Gear) gathers in Tallinn, Estonia for a 3-day meeting. Gear group now operates under a revised mandate to better meet the emerging challenges in accomplishing the HELCOM goals and targets of the Baltic Sea Action Plan (BSAP). The Meeting will also discuss the more detailed work, such as the overall HELCOM roadmap with its deadlines and deliverables until 2021; a draft action plan to close knowledge gaps and improve regional coherence; as well an initiative to more effectively follow up the BSAP national implementation. After HELCOM streamlining process the Gear group will now hold a strong managerial role, with the mandate to integrate and utilize the work of other HELCOM groups for coherent implementation of marine policies, including of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive as far as EU Member States are concerned as well as Maritime Doctrine of the Russian Federation. Gear will continue to look after the synergies with relevant organizations and frameworks, including other Regional Seas Conventions such as the OSPAR Commission covering the North-Atlantic. To improve regional coherence GEAR will also prepare by end of 2014 an Action ...

​HELCOM's international aerial surveillance operation over the Northern Baltic Sea ended completed despite thick fog at night time, 27 hours after the start

HELCOM BASE project issued a new report on the current status of significant sources of pollution to the Baltic Sea in Russia, or 'hot spots'

HELCOM issues report on alien species transported via ships HELCOM has released a report on alien species transported via ships' ballast water that threaten the sensitive Baltic ecosystem and may also have negative impacts to the economy and human health.The report is the final outcome of HELCOM ALIENS 3 project (2012-2013) which further tested and proposed improvements to the joint HELCOM-OSPAR sampling protocol, specifying methods and means for spotting marine alien species in ports. The project has also updated the related online port survey database and risk assessment tool, shared with the North-East Atlantic marine environment protection commission OSPAR, which went live last week.The International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships Ballast Water and Sediments (BWM convention) specifies a number of measures in order to prevent, minimize and ultimately eliminate the transfer of Harmful Aquatic Organisms and Pathogens through the control and management of ships Ballast Water and Sediments.However, under certain low risk conditions, the BWM convention Regulation A-4 enables a party to grant exemptions to any requirements to apply ballast water management for ships (regulation B-3) or additional measures (regulation C-1). Whether or not a specific case can be defined as falling under such low risk conditions ...

Oil spill response exercise off Rostock

HELCOM Maritime meeting looks at alien species and sewage in ports

Any discharge is prohibited unless the ship uses an approved sewage treatment plant - The Baltic Sea Action Plan milestone makes Baltic the first sea in the world designated by IMO as a Special Area for sewage discharges;- all HELCOM countries active in backing up the proposal;- regulations adopted in record time in July 2011The HELCOM Maritime Group proposal to ban all sewage discharge from passenger ships in the Baltic Sea was adopted by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) on 15 July 2011. Any such discharge will be prohibited unless the ship uses an approved sewage treatment plant capable of sufficiently reducing nutrients, or delivers untreated sewage to a port reception facility. The elaborate process of reaching the agreement between the Baltic Sea countries, developing the proposal and negotiating it in IMO took less than four years."This achievement is part of the Baltic Sea Action Plan (2007-2021) and I am proud to say that all the nine HELCOM countries were active in backing up the joint stand in IMO. The Baltic is now the first sea in the world designated by IMO as a Special Area for sewage discharges under the international shipping law", says Jorma Kämäräinen from the Finnish ...