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Norad News

15 Dec 2021

IMO Biofouling Project Aims to Reduce Invasive Species and Emissions

(Photo: IMO)

A newly signed initiative is set to provide pilot projects to demonstrate technical solutions for biofouling management in developing countries, address the transfer of invasive aquatic species and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions from ships.The TEST (Transfer of Environmentally Sound Technologies) Biofouling Project will run for four years (2022-2025), following an agreement signed on December 8 by International Maritime Organization (IMO) Secretary-General Kitack Lim and the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad).

26 Jun 2018

Marine Environment Protection for Southeast Asia Seas Project Launched

Seven ASEAN countries have formally launched an ambitious initiative aimed at improving the environmental health of the seas in the region, through the implementation of key International Maritime Organization (IMO) marine environment protection treaties. Senior decisions makers of maritime administrations of the beneficiary ASEAN countries (Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam) met for their first high-level regional meeting in Bali, Indonesia (25-27 June), to kick-start the “Marine Environment Protection for Southeast Asia Seas (MEPSEAS) Project”. IMO is implementing the project, with funding from the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad).

08 Dec 2017

Norad Backs Marine Environment Protection in Southeast Asia

A new International Maritime Organization (IMO)-Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad) environmental project in Southeast Asia is set to begin, to support seven countries to protect the marine environment from shipping operations. The four-year project will focus on enhancing the countries’ capacity to implement a number of high-priority marine environment conventions, including the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL); the Anti-Fouling Systems Convention; the London dumping of wastes convention and protocol; and the Ballast Water Management Convention. IMO and Norad signed (on 8 December 2017) an Agreement to support the new major project titled “Marine Environment Protection for Southeast Asia Seas (MEPSEAS)”.

02 Jun 2017

Norad - IMO Partnerships to Protect Marine Environment

International Maritime Organization (IMO)’s collaboration with the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad) to deliver technical cooperation activities was in the spotlight in Oslo this week (May 30-31). In addition to the annual IMO-Norad projects review meeting, IMO presented the Organization and its technical cooperation programme to senior officials from Norwegian ministries and NGOs (Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries, Ministry of Climate and Environment, and WWF Norway), highlighting in particular the IMO-Norad East Asia Project, which helped build capacity to implement IMO environment-protection conventions in six participating countries – with a view to identifying further cooperation opportunities.

01 Mar 2017

Bangladesh Targets Better Ship Recycling Practices

Photo: IMO

With an annual gross tonnage capacity of more than 8.8 million, Bangladesh’s ship recycling industry is one of the world’s largest, second only to neighboring India in terms of volume. But for these countries ship recycling practices have long been a matter of concern, particularly in terms of safety and environmental sustainability. Now on the heels of completing its first phase of a project aiming to improve standards within the nation’s ship recycling industry, the Government…

15 Nov 2016

East Asia Environmental Treaties Project Mulls Next Steps

Participating States in a highly successful International Maritime Organization (IMO)-Norad environmental project have wrapped up the project in a final meeting, during which they pledged to continue to forge ahead with the implementation of key IMO marine environmental conventions. During the meeting in Bali, Indonesia (9-11 November), the six east Asian beneficiary countries highlighted the major goals reached during the project, including the development of national legislation for the ratification of key treaties. The countries expressed an interest in developing a follow-up project concept which would cover the entire ASEAN region and focus on the effective implementation of the IMO conventions that the countries have recently acceded to.

25 Aug 2016

South Asia Meet on Oil, Chemical Spill Contingency Plan

A meeting to update South Asia’s regional plan for oil and chemical pollution preparedness and response is underway in Male, Maldives (22-25 August), informs  International Maritime Organization (IMO). Senior officials from Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka are sharing their national experiences and consolidating updates to the plan with a view to finalizing it. The event includes a regional training workshop on hazardous and noxious substance (HNS) spills preparedness and response. Moving forward, the participants will also identify future training needs and develop a three-year training programme to enhance the region’s spill preparedness and response capacity.

30 Jul 2016

Protecting Sensitive Sea Areas in South-East Asia

Further progress towards identifying and designating Particularly Sensitive Sea Areas (PSSAs) in south-east Asia has been made during a regional meeting in Lombok, Indonesia (27-28 July). Some 30 participants from Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Viet Nam and observers from Singapore met to identify any gaps in knowledge in potential areas to be selected and proposed to be designated as a PSSA by International Maritime Organization (IMO). They also discussed additional assistance which may be required in developing final submissions to IMO. Participants were also introduced to the International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA) risk management toolbox…

22 Jun 2016

Bangladesh Ship Recycling Project Makes Good Progress

​Stakeholders have been updated on progress made by the safe and environmentally sound ship recycling in Bangladesh (SENSREC) project - Phase I. The project is being executed and implemented by  International Maritime Organization (IMO)  and funded by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad), in partnership with the Ministry of Industries of Bangladesh and Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions (BRS). At a recent workshop (15 June), updates were given on the various parts of phase I of the project, including completion or near completion of various studies and ongoing training activities. The Dissemination Workshop was jointly organized by the IMO…

23 Dec 2015

Norwegian Research Ship Launched at Gondan

Photo: Gondan

Gondan Shipyard in Figueras today launched a new fishery and oceanographic research vessel to be operated by the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research of Bergen under a program led by NORAD, FAO and the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The contract for the construction of this oceanographic vessel was signed in March last year and was awarded to Gondan Shipyard through an international tender, in which it competed with eight shipyards in Norway and one in Spain. Designed by the company Skipsteknisk…

24 Nov 2015

Morocco, Indonesia Ratify BWM Convention

H.H. Princess Lalla Joumala Alaoui handed over Morocco’s instrument of ratification to IMO Secretary-General Koji Sekimizu (Photo: IMO)

Morocco and Indonesia have become the latest nations to ratify the Ballast Water Management (BWM) Convention, an international measure adopted in 2004 for environmental protection that requires ships to have procedures in place for ballast water management in order to help prevent the spread of harmful and invasive aquatic species. In all, the total number of ratifications now stands at 45 states. Morocco Transport Minister Abdelaziz Rebbah and H.H. Princess Lalla Joumala Alaoui handed over Morocco’s instrument of ratification to IMO Secretary-General Koji Sekimizu Monday…

09 Nov 2015

Next Steps for IMO/Norad Project

Photo: IMO

Senior officials from the six southeast Asia countries benefiting from an IMO-Norwegian Development Cooperation Agency (Norad) marine environment project are meeting for a second meeting in Bangkok, November 9-10, to review progress and discuss the next steps. The project supports participating countries Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Viet Nam in the legal, policy and institutional reforms and associated capacity building needed for effective ratification and implementation of a number of IMO's environmental treaties.

25 Jun 2015

Supporting the Protection of Southeast Asian Seas

Photo: IMO

A project aiming to identify sea areas in Southeast Asia to be designated as Particularly Sensitive Sea Areas (PSSAs) is gaining ground with the holding of a second regional meeting in Hanoi, Vietnam, June 24-25, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) announced. A PSSA can gain extra protection through the adoption of associated protective measures, such as ship routing systems. The IMO’s Ed Kleverlaan is facilitating the meeting, which is being held under the auspices of a cooperation agreement between IMO and the Norwegian Development Cooperation Agency, NORAD.

24 Apr 2015

Gondan Lays Keef for IMR Oceanographic Vessel

Gondan Shipyard has celebrated at its facilities in Figueras the keel laying ceremony of the new Oceanographic Research Vessel for the Institute of Marine Research (IMR) of Bergen, Norway. Several representatives from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, NORAD (Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation), IMR (Institute of Marine Research) and FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) attended as well as representatives of the shipyard management. The contract of this oceanographic vessel was signed in March last year. This sophisticated ship was awarded to Gondan Shipyard through an international tender, in which it competed with eight Norwegian and a Spanish shipyard, and in March the project was finally awarded to it.

09 Feb 2015

Bangladesh Ship Recycling Project Begins

Photo: IMO

An agreement between the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh has been signed for the parties to collaboratively improve safety and environmental standards in the country’s ship-recycling industry. A Memorandum of Understanding formalizing the cooperation between the two was signed by Nicolaos Charalambous, Director, Technical Cooperation Division, IMO and Md. Ashadul Islam, Additional Secretary, Economic Relations Division of the Ministry of Finance of the Government of Bangladesh, on April 10, 2014.

25 Dec 2014

Standing by to Assist Santa

Pentagon Press Secretary, Rear Adm. John Kirby, recently held a press briefing where he discussed the specifics of how the Department of Defense is supporting Santa Claus’ yuletide journey as he delivers gifts around the world. The U.S. 6th Fleet is on high alert, focusing maritime assets on protecting the waters within its area of operations to ensure the Jolly Old Elf is able to complete his rounds as he, much like 6th Fleet ships, operates forward. “Our theater of operations extends from the seabed to space, from the North Pole to South Africa. If it flies, we can see it. If it floats, we can find it and if it’s submerged, we will hear it. – Vice Adm. James G. Foggo, III, Commander, U.S. “Oscar Austin reporting from the Indian Ocean, ensuring Maritime Santa Lanes remain open.

31 Aug 2014

USCG Responds to Plane Crash 51 mi SE Of Chincoteague Island, VA

The Coast Guard is responding to a plane crash Saturday approximately 51 miles southeast of Chincoteague Island. Watchstanders at the Coast Guard 5th District in Portsmouth received notification at approximately 2:40 p.m. that a single-engine Cirrus aircraft with only the pilot aboard failed to land at Manassas Regional Airport as scheduled. Instead the Cirrus remained at an altitude of approximately 13,000 feet and continued into restricted air space in the vicinity of Washington, D.C. Two U.S. NORAD F-16 aircraft came alongside the Cirrus to investigate and observed the pilot to be unconscious in the cockpit. The F-16 airmen escorted the Cirrus on its course over the Eastern Shore of Virginia until it crashed into the Atlantic Ocean.

11 Apr 2014

IMO, Bangladesh Target Improved Ship-recycling Standards

Photo: IMO

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh have signed a landmark agreement to work together to improve safety and environmental standards in the country’s ship-recycling industry. A Memorandum of Understanding formalizing the cooperation between the two was signed by Nicolaos Charalambous, Director, Technical Cooperation Division, IMO and Md. Ashadul Islam, Additional Secretary, Economic Relations Division of the Ministry of Finance of the Government of Bangladesh, on April 10 2014.

02 Nov 2006

Norway Provides Funding for ITCP

IMO’s technical co-operation activities in Africa have received a major funding boost with the conclusion of an agreement between IMO and NORAD, the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation. Under the terms of a Memorandum of Agreement signed between the two organizations on 30 October 2006, NORAD will provide $226,000 towards three technical co-operation activities in Africa in the field of maritime security, to be executed through IMO’s Integrated Technical Co-operation Programme (ITCP). The agreement sees the establishment of a bilateral trust fund arrangement between IMO and NORAD. Norway has long been a major donor to the ITCP and…