12-11-2012. Source: EU Neighbourhood Info Centre

Around thirty representatives from Israel’s Administration of Shipping and Ports, Ministry of Environment, shipping companies and commercial ports attended a seminar organised by the Safemed II project held in Acre, Israel last month on the environmental importance of effective Ballast Water Management (BWM).

The BWM Convention is an international instrument aimed at preventing the transfer of harmful aquatic organisms through effective ballast water management.

The seminar discussed the actions required to further prepare Israel for the ratification and implementation of the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments, 2004.

The Seminar offered a valuable opportunity for stakeholders to discuss various aspects of BWM. “This SafeMed II Project activity follows the adoption of the Mediterranean Strategy on Ships’ Ballast Water Management earlier this year and regional SafeMed activities aimed at enhancing regional competencies for effective management of ships’ ballast water,” said SafeMed II Project Coordinator Jonathan Pace. He added the Seminar was timely as the BWM Convention is expected to enter into force in the very near future.

The €5.5 million SafeMed II project seeks to mitigate the existing imbalance between the participating partners that are EU Mediterranean member states and the non EU members from the region in the application of maritime legislation. Among its activities, it funds scholarships to internationally recognized maritime universities.

Safemed II project – Maritime security and the prevention of pollution: Promoting cooperation in maritime safety and security and the prevention of pollution from ships by providing technical support. http://www.safemedproject.org/
Participating countries: Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Occupied Palestinian Territory, Syria, Tunisia, & Turkey.