National Workshop on Ratification and Effective Implementation of MARPOL Annex VI for Egypt

As part of the continued assistance provided by REMPEC to the Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention, which so request, pursuant to the Regional Strategy for Prevention of and Response to Marine Pollution from Ships (2016-2021) as well as the Road Map for a Proposal for the Possible Designation of the Mediterranean Sea, as a whole, as an Emission Control Area for Sulphur Oxides Pursuant to MARPOL Annex VI, within the Framework of the Barcelona Convention, and to address the issue of air pollution caused by ships in the Mediterranean, the National Workshop (virtual) on Ratification and Effective Implementation of MARPOL Annex VI for Egypt was held on 25 November 2020.

The workshop was organised by REMPEC, in close cooperation with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the Government of Egypt, with the financial support of the Mediterranean Trust Fund of the Barcelona Convention, and was attended by more than 20 Egyptian participants from the Ministry of foreign affairs, the Maritime Sector, the Egyptian authority for marine safety, the Red Sea, Alexandria and Damietta port authorities, the Navy, the Suez canal authority, the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation, the Arab Academy for Science Technology & Maritime Transport as well as the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Authority, including its central departments of integrated coastal zone, water quality, air quality, climate change, international cooperation as well as environment disaster and crisis management. It was also attended by representatives from IMO, Plan Bleu and the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA).

The main objectives of the workshop were:

.1  to raise awareness on Annex VI to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL);

.2  to provide for a greater understanding and appreciation of the requirements for implementation and enforcement of MARPOL Annex VI, in order to be able to support the efforts of the Government of Egypt towards ratification and more effective implementation, compliance and enforcement, both as a flag State and as a port State; and

.3  to discuss about the possible designation of the Mediterranean Sea, as a whole, as an Emission Control Area for Sulphur Oxides (Med SOx ECA) pursuant to MARPOL Annex VI, within the framework of the Barcelona Convention.

As a national event, the workshop concentrated on the specific needs of Egypt, and the participants were encouraged to and did actively raise questions as well as expressed ideas and thoughts over the issues relevant to Egypt and its people under the topics of the workshop.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has affected the physical organisation of events by REMPEC in 2020, the workshop was held remotely.

Workshop programme

• Final programme 

Workshop presentations