Courtesy visit of Her Excellency Mrs Natasa Pilides, Shipping Deputy Minister to the President of the Republic of Cyprus to REMPEC – Oct 03, 2018

    Courtesy visit of Her Excellency Mrs Natasa Pilides, Shipping Deputy Minister to the President of the Republic of Cyprus to REMPEC

    On 3 October 2018, Her Excellency Mrs Natasa Pilides, Shipping Deputy Minister to the President of the Republic of Cyprus and her accompanying delegation paid a courtesy visit to the Regional Marine Pollution Emergency Response Centre for the Mediterranean Sea (REMPEC) in Malta.

    The Cypriot delegation met with Mr Gabino Gonzalez, Head of Office of REMPEC, who briefed them about current and future major activities of the Centre in the region and Cyprus.

    The implementation of the Regional Strategy for the Prevention of and Response to Marine Pollution from Ship (2016-2021) was addressed with emphasis on the Agreement on the Sub-Regional Marine Oil Pollution Contingency Plan signed by Cyprus, Greece and Israel, signed in May this year. Cyprus is committed to effectively implement the Agreement and will organise with the assistance of REMPEC, the Sub-regional Workshop on Compensation for oil pollution damage and the First Meeting of national Operational Authorities responsible for the implementation of the Sub-regional Maritime Oil Pollution Contingency Plan between Cyprus, Greece and Israel (Larnaca, Cyprus, 4-6 December 2018).

    With a view to further enhance the response mechanism to marine pollution, based on the cooperation between Cyprus and other neighbouring countries, potential projects were explored including the possible development of new multilateral agreements.

    Following the recent deposit of the instrument of ratification with the International Maritime Organization (IMO), H.E. Mrs Pilides announced the entry into force of the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments, 2004, in Cyprus on 8 November 2018.

    The Shipping Deputy Minister was pleased about the progress made on the technical and feasibility study to examine the possibility of designating the Mediterranean Sea or parts thereof as sulphur oxides (SOx) Emission Control Area (ECA) under MARPOL Annex VI, to be discussed with all Mediterranean costal States, the European Union and relevant stakeholders, at the Regional Workshop on Ratification and Effective Implementation of MARPOL Annex VI (13-15 November 2018, Valletta, Malta) and welcomed the contribution of REMPEC in the coordination of a joint approach to tackle in a timely and effective manner this regional challenge.

    From left to right Mr. Costas Iacovou, Act. Permanent Secretary; Mr. Gabino Gonzalez, Head of Office of REMPEC; H.E. Mrs Natasa Pilides, Shipping Deputy Minister to the President of the Republic of Cyprus and Mr. Adonis Pavlides, Marine Surveyor A’, Maritime Policy and Multilateral Affairs Division.