As of 16 June 2014 EMSA started implementing a 24 month EU-financed project TRACECA Maritime Safety & Security II.

Beneficiaries

The project Beneficiaries are Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Ukraine and Turkmenistan.

Project Background

The project is complementary to another EU funded project - "TRACECA II Maritime Safety and Security" which is being implemented by a private contractor (NTU Consortium) as from 16 January 2013.

The project's the general objective is to approximate the Beneficiaries national legislation with the EU regulatory framework, support the further ratification and implementation of international maritime safety and security conventions as well as improving the level quality and coordination of maritime administrations in the Black and Caspian seas countries with the aim of making shipping safer, more secure and environment friendly.

EMSA's role

The "TRACECA II Maritime safety and security" has defined components in the fields of:

• maritime safety (flag State implementation; safety of navigation; the human element);
• maritime security (security of ships and ports);
• prevention of pollution caused by ships (protection of the marine environment).

Each component includes a number of activities that can be complemented by the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) particularly through specific technical activities and associating the Project's Beneficiaries to the operational tools developed and managed by the Agency on behalf of the European Commission and the Members States with the objective of improving the project's effectiveness.

The general objective of the actions to be implemented by EMSA in the framework of the TRACECA II is to contribute to raising the maritime safety and marine pollution prevention/preparedness and response standards in the Black Sea and Caspian Sea by providing the beneficiary countries with technical assistance on the mentioned topics and familiarisation with some EMSA's operational tools like the CleanSeaNet and the network of oil-recovery vessels.

More specifically EMSA will in close cooperation with all bodies and actors involved implement specific and ad hoc funded activities as:

• provision of very specific training activities in the field of port State control to be run in selected Beneficiaries;
• provision of training for marine accident investigators;
• a pilot project on the CleanSeaNet (CSN) the satellite based monitoring tool for marine oil pollution that EMSA developed and manages on behalf of the Euporean Commission and the EU Members States with those beneficiaries that will express an interest;
• practical exercise with EMSA's Stand-by Oil Recovery Vessels in selected project's Beneficiaries of the Black Sea.

The specific objectives are

To directly assist the competent maritime authorities of the Beneficiaries to align their national standards and practices with those of the European Union with the aim of promoting a harmonised approach in the field of maritime safety and marine pollution prevention/preparedness and response.

To boost expertise and organisational capacity of Beneficiaries to implement and enforce obligations arising from converging towards EU legislation

To provide officials from the Beneficiaries; maritime administration with technical knowledge of the relevant international regulations in the field of
maritime safety and pollution at sea preparedness/response

To exchange and disseminate bets practices in the area of maritime safety, marine pollution prevention/preparedness and response

To encourage:

• the development of closer cooperation between Beneficiaries at regional level in the field of maritime safety, marine pollution prevention, preparedness/response
• possible common initiative sin the fields above.

To enhance communication and information sharing between Benficiaries, EMSA and EU Members States as well as among Beneficiaries themselves concerning:

• maritime safety and marine pollution prevention
• implementation of the relevant legislation.

Expected results

• Increased capacity of maritime administrations
• Harmonisation of PSC inspection within the Black Sea region
• Increased capability of responding to oil spills
• Better information available regarding vessels movements and increased sharing of data among neighbouring countries

Scope of the Action

To achieve project's objectives EMSA will carry out a multitude of activities such as:

• Seminars and workshops
• Analisys/studies and Inventories
• Operational support
• Pilot projects