Gulf of Finland: environment and traffic under scrutiny at Kotka 09/07/2010 Kotka Maritime Research Centre organises a Stakeholder Conference for HELCOM's Baltic Sea Action Plan, Maritime Segment on July 29th, 2010 in Kotka, Finland. The stakeholder conference highlights the themes and current issues connected to HELCOM's Baltic Sea Action Plan, specifically its Maritime activities segment. Presentations in the seminar cover themes related to the Maritime Activities Segment of the HELCOM's Baltic Sea Action plan. These include maritime traffic safety, sewage pollution from ships, introduction of alien species, air emissions from maritime traffic and hazardous gargoes. The seminar is free of charge. Registrations by July 23rd, 2010. More information can be found at: http://www.merikotka.fi/seminar2010/index.html
On July 29, 2010 Kotka Maritime Reseach Centre (KMRC) will organise a stakeholder conference for The Helsinki Commission's (HELCOM) Baltic Sea Action Plan. Taking place at the Maritime Centre Vellamo in Kotka, Finland. The seminar is a part of the annual Kotka Maritime Festival (29/07-01/08, 2010). Maritime transport and threats to environmental safety have increased substantially on the Gulf of Finland and the Baltic Sea. At the same time the positive economical effects of its growing traffic are substantially important to the region. The Baltic Sea Action Plan by HELCOM addresses the main environmental effects of shipping and other activities at sea: pollution to the air, illegal and accidental discharge of oil, hazardous substances and other wastes, and the introduction of invasive alien organisms via ships' ballast water or on their hulls. Emissions of nitrogen oxides from ships contribute to the eutrophication of the sea, oil spilled during accidents may destroy important marine and coastal habitats, and alien species may cause economic loss and even pose risks to human health. The strategic goal of HELCOM is to have maritime activities in the Baltic Sea carried out in an environmentally friendly way. HELCOM's plan will introduce innovative changes to the ways the Baltic Sea region is managed environmentally. The plan addresses all the major environmental problems affecting the Baltic marine environment. Over recent decades the environmental situation in the Baltic Sea has drastically changed. Clear indicators of this situation include problems PRESS4TRANSPORT is funded by the European Commission's Directorate-General for Research under the Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (FP7)
that call for immediate action in order to put an end to the ongoing destruction of the Baltic Sea environment and avoid an irreversible disaster. Organisers KMRC is a centre of expertise focusing on maritime transport, maritime safety and the marine environment. They conduct high level research applied to the conditions of the Gulf of Finland and their research fields include maritime safety, maritime transport, the maritime industry and the marine environment. The City of Kotka is dedicated to promoting maritime transport and marine environmental safety by establishing and supporting a high-standard maritime research centre together with leading Finnish universities. Please note that a press conference will take place at 10:30 on July 29th before the seminar at the Maritime Centre Vellamo Registration for the seminar closes on July 23rd http://www.merikotka.fi/registration.php More information can be found at www.merikotka.fi
PRESS4TRANSPORT is funded by the European Commission's Directorate-General for Research under the Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (FP7)