Tag: marine environment

Transport Malta will collaborate with the Norwegian Coastal Administration to strengthen the country's maritime pollution response. During the launching of the project "Oil / HNS Spill Response Capacity Building For The Protection Of Malta's Seas", Transport and Infrastructure Minister Joe Mizzi, said that the undertaking, supported through grants from the European Economic Area, aims to address our island's capacity building in the field of maritime incident response, particularly spills from oil and other hazardous and noxious substances. Through this project, Transport Malta will have the distinction to share the Norwegian partner's vast experience in this field. "There is no doubt that the Norwegian Coastal Administration is the ideal partner to enhance Malta's response to maritime pollution," Minister Mizzi said. It is a well known fact that there is heavy maritime traffic in the Malta Channel, with approximately 25% of the world's oil transport passing through the Central Mediterranean. Therefore, a particular level of national preparedness against oil spills and other hazardous and noxious substances is crucial, in order to counteract any incidents that may potentially arise and affect our seas, shores and potentially our economy. Minister Mizzi added that one of the major objectives of the project is to increase the ...

A new action plan has been presented to facilitate the further development of the renewable ocean energy sector in Europe. A central element in this action plan will be to establish an Ocean Energy Forum, bringing together stakeholders to build capacity and foster cooperation. The action plan should help drive forward this nascent 'blue energy' sector towards full industrialisation. Ocean energy covers all technologies to harvest the renewable energy of our seas and oceans other than offshore wind. Its exploitation would contribute to the decarbonisation of the EU's economy and provide secure and reliable renewable energy to Europe. European Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Maria Damanaki, said: "As our Blue Growth strategy highlights, seas and oceans have the potential to generate huge economic growth and much-needed jobs. By helping the ocean energy sector to fully develop we can fulfil this potential through innovation while also securing clean, renewable energy for Europe." European Commissioner for Energy Günther Oettinger said: "Ocean energy has a significant potential to enhance the security of supply. This Communication aims to contribute to promote technological innovation and to reach the Objectives of the Europe 2020 Strategy and beyond. Developing a wide portfolio of renewable energy sources ...