Representatives from ten European countries are meeting from today, September 16th, to Thursday, September 18th, at the Zurbano Palace in Madrid to discuss and outline a new strategy.to combat pollution from ships in the North Sea.
This is the 37th meeting of the heads of delegation of the members of the Agreement on Cooperation on the Prevention and Control of Marine Pollution in the North Sea Area, better known as the Bonn Agreement.
One of the objectives of the meeting is to approve a new strategy to combat pollution in the North Sea, which will outline the direction of the Bonn Agreement over the next 10 years, as well as to advance the implementation plan that will translate the strategy into concrete actions.
In addition, the meeting will address other issues related to the link between the Bonn Agreement and Annex VI of the MARPOL Convention (International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships), which sets limits on air pollution from ships.
Ana Núñez, Director General of the Merchant Marine, participated in the opening ceremony of the meeting, sponsored by the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility.
Delegations from Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom, the European Union, and Spain, which has been a party to the Bonn Agreement since 2022, will participate in this meeting. Spain’s integration is justified by the Finisterre Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS), which connects the North Sea with the Mediterranean and is considered the main maritime traffic route in all of Europe, with an average transit of 35,000 vessels per year.
The commitment is to collaborate in the North Sea by monitoring areas of responsibility, responding operationally to pollution incidents, and sharing research and innovation developed in the fight against marine pollution.
In this way, Spain ensures continuous improvement in operational processes for preventing and responding to maritime pollution incidents that may occur in this enclave.
Bonn Agreement
The 1983 Agreement on Cooperation in the Prevention and Response of Marine Pollution in the North Sea Area, known as the Bonn Agreement, is based on the International Maritime Organization’s MARPOL and OPRC (International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Cooperation and Response), which, to enhance their effectiveness, encourage the creation of international regional agreements bringing together states with specific characteristics and common interests.
The purpose of the Bonn Agreement is to ensure international cooperation in the prevention of and response to marine pollution resulting from accidents and illegal discharges of hydrocarbons and harmful and potentially hazardous substances in the North Sea and its approaches.
To this end, those involved agree to monitor the area, respond to contamination episodes based on common criteria, conduct joint operational exercises, and share the research and development generated by each country in this area.
These commitments ensure ongoing improvements in operational prevention and response processes in the fight against maritime pollution from ships in our country.