Mediterranean Sea

Sea level rise threatens Mediterranean UNESCO heritage sites

A study, published in Nature Communications, reported that, out of 49 World Heritage Sites located on low-lying Mediterranean coasts, 37 of them face the risk of damage from floods and 42 of them face the risk from coastal erosion due to the constant sea-level rise. Flood risk may rise by 50% and erosion by 13% across the Mediterranean, with risks at some individual sites considerably higher.

Approximately one third of these World Heritage Sites are located in Italy. Namely, 15 of these World...

https://safety4sea.com/sea-level-rise-threatens-mediterranean-unesco-heritage-sites/

GPS interference reported in Mediterranean and Red Seas

U.S. Maritime Advisory 2018-014 informs of a continued GPS interference by vessels and aircraft operating in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. This kind of interference is causing the alternation of GPS signals and in general affects the navigation and communication of vessels.

U.S. Maritime Advisory 2018-014 focuses on the continuous GPS interference that is reported by vessels and aircraft. This interference is mostly reported near Port Said, Egypt, the Suez Canal, and near Cyprus.

Similar...

https://safety4sea.com/gps-interference-reported-in-mediterranean-and-red-seas/

Israel announces 2nd offshore bid round

Energy Minister of Israel announced the launching of its second bid round to grant exploration licenses for natural gas and oil in Israel’s economic waters in the Eastern Mediterranean. The bid round will follow the earlier round which began in 2016 and granted 6 licenses, some are expected to commence drilling in the upcoming months.

This bid is intended to continue the development of the natural gas market in Israel, increase competition by the entry of new international energy companies and...

https://safety4sea.com/israel-announces-2nd-offshore-bid-round/

Caribbean maintains the preferred choice for cruises

Travel Leaders Group conducted a survey among 1,000 North American travel advisors, revealing that Scotland and the Netherlands moved up among the top five upcoming European destinations. As for the international cruise category, the Caribbean remained at the top spot, with Singapore increasing its popularity in the Asia/Southeast Asia category.

According to the survey, travel advisors are mostly booking trips of six to seven days, followed by eight to 10 days. Only 1.5% book trips of less than...

https://safety4sea.com/caribbean-maintains-the-preferred-choice-for-cruises/

REMPEC: A Mediterranean SECA would bring health and environmental benefits

REMPEC, the IMO-administered marine pollution emergency response centre in the Mediterranean, has concluded a study to evaluate the costs and benefits of implementing a SECA in the Mediterranean region. It found that additional costs will be needed, but health and environmental benefits would be significant.

From 1 January 2020, IMO will require the reduction of the sulphur content allowed in ships’ fuel-oil, globally, to just 0.5%. This will result in important health benefits.

Except from the...

https://safety4sea.com/rempec-a-mediterranean-seca-would-bring-health-and-environmental-benefits/

France calls for Mediterranean ECA at IMO

On the sidelines of a side event of the MEPC 73 meeting at IMO headquarters, France presented the results of its impact assessment of a possible emission control area (ECA) in the Mediterranean Sea to minimize shipping emissions.

The findings revealed that a combined ECA which addresses sulphur and nitrogen oxides at the same time has the greatest positive effect in terms of reduced air pollutant concentrations as well as corresponding socio-economic and ecological benefits.

Environmentalists...

https://safety4sea.com/france-calls-for-mediterranean-eca-at-imo/

Three projects drive alternative fuels uptake in Eastern Mediterranean

Three European Commission co-funded initiatives: Poseidon Med II, CYnergy and Elemed, are leading the uptake of alternative fuels in the Eastern Mediterranean region.

Poseidon Med II

Poseidon Med II aims to promote LNG as a safe, environmentally efficient and viable alternative fuel for shipping and help the East Mediterranean marine transportation propel towards a low carbon future.

The project involves three countries: Greece, Italy and Cyprus, six European ports (Piraeus, Patras, Lemesos,...

https://safety4sea.com/three-projects-drive-alternative-fuels-uptake-in-eastern-mediterranean/

REMPEC, EMSA join forces for sustainable shipping in Mediterranean

At a meeting of the EU-funded SAFEMED IV project in Jordan, the IMO-administered pollution emergency response centre in the Mediterranean (REMPEC) has agreed to coordinate its 2019 technical assistance activities with the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA), to achieve a more sustainable shipping in the region.

Following presentations by project beneficiaries highlighting their technical assistance needs, EMSA agreed on project activities until the end of 2019. REMPEC will coordinate its own...

https://safety4sea.com/rempec-emsa-join-forces-for-sustainable-shipping-in-mediterranean/

Cleanup of MED started after ships’ collision

At a Glance
  • A pair of merchant ships collided causing a fuel spill in the Mediterranean Sea.
  • No injuries were reported in the collision.
  • French and Italian authorities are working to contain the spill.

French and Italian maritime authorities say they have begun cleaning up a fuel spill that has spread 12.5 miles in the Mediterranean Sea after two cargo ships collided north of the island of Corsica.

Italy’s coast guard said Monday it’s recovering some of the polluted material and monitoring...

http://container-news.com/cleanup-med-started-after-ships-collision/

Foggo: U.S., NATO Naval Forces Pushing Back Against Russian Harassment

The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Ross (DDG 71), right, approaches the Lewis and Clark-class fleet replenishment oiler USNS Medgar Evers (T-AKE 13) and the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Arleigh Burke (DDG 51) for a replenishment-at-sea in the Mediterranean Sea, Oct. 6, 2018. Ross, forward-deployed to Rota, Spain, is on its seventh patrol in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations in support of U.S. national security interests Europe and Africa. US Navy photo.

T...

https://news.usni.org/2018/10/09/foggo-us-nato-naval-forces-pushing-back-russian-anti-access-behaviors

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