29 November - 01 December 2022, the MOIG Director participated to the First Coordination Meeting on the Mediterranean Strategy for the Prevention of, Preparedness, and Response to Marine Pollution from Ships (2022-2031) held at REMPEC premises in Floriana-Malta.

The main objectives of this meeting were to report and assess the progress made in the implementation of the Mediterranean Strategy (2022-2031), to define priority actions and propose related activities for the following biennium 2024-2025 and beyond, to define roles and responsibilities for the implementation of the proposed activities as well as to establish operational and strategic synergies, through specific partnership agreements, if required. The meeting gathered experts on the prevention of, and response to marine pollution from ships from Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention, relevant national, regional and international organizations, institutions and agencies; and accredited UNEP/MAP Partners; as observers.

Seven CSOs were discussed during the meeting which were the following ones: CSO1 - Prevention, preparedness and response to operational, illegal and accidental oil and hazardous and noxious substances (HNS) pollution from ships, CSO2 - Climate change, CSO3 - Air emissions from ships, CSO4 - Marine litter; CSO5 - Non-indigenous species, CSO 6 - Protected areas, CSO 7 - Emerging issues, including underwater noise.

For each COS, a working groups were formed to follow and implement the recommendations of the first meeting before the second coordination meeting on the Mediterranean Strategy (2022-2031) expected to be held in 2024 , In addition, this meeting reiterated the urgency of ratification; transposition and effective implementation of Annex VI to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL), particularly in view of the Mediterranean Sea Emission Control Area for Sulphur Oxides and Particulate Matter (Med SOx ECA) expected to enter into effective application on 01 May 2025. All the documents of the meeting are currently displayed in REMPEC website: www.rempec.org

This meeting was also a good opportunity to undertake fruitful discussions with technical partners and international organizations on oil spill preparedness and response in the Mediterranean region and identify scope for future co-operation. The Management Committee Members would like to thank REMPEC for its kind invitation.