North Africa Workshop

MTCC Africa was pleased to host, in collaboration with the Regional Marine Pollution Emergency Response Centre for the Mediterranean Sea (REMPEC), the Webinar for Climate Change Mitigation in the Shipping and Maritime Industry with a Focus on North African States bordering the Mediterranean Sea. The virtual webinar targeted Maritime Administrations, Port Authorities, and line Ministries in the Northern Africa Region bordering the Mediterranean Sea. REMPEC offered invaluable in-kind support through Mr. Gabino Gonzalez, Head of Office and Mr. Franck Lauwers, Programme Officer (Prevention). REMPEC assists Mediterranean coastal States in ratifying, transposing, implementing, and enforcing international maritime conventions related to the prevention, preparedness, and response to pollution from ships.

This virtual webinar highlighted the need for the Promotion of Technical Co-operation and Transfer of Technology relating to the Improvement of Energy Efficiency in Ports plus the shipping industry at large.

The objectives of the Webinar were:

1. To raise awareness in the lessons learned on the implementation of MARPOL Annex VI in the North African/East African region.
2. To disseminate knowledge on REMPEC’s work on MARPOL Annex VI and related issues in particular the implementation of the Road map for the possible designation of the Mediterranean Sea, as a whole, as an Emission Control Area for sulphur oxides (Med SOx ECA) pursuant to MARPOL Annex VI.
3. To highlight the successes of the outcomes of the MTCC Africa Pilot Project on the Uptake of Port Energy Efficient Technologies and Operations.

The webinar commenced with opening remarks from the Principal Secretary – State Department for Shipping and Maritime – Republic of Kenya, Mrs. Nancy W. Karigithu, CBS.

The panelists highlighted the need to promote Climate change mitigation in the shipping and maritime industry through the ratification, transposition into national law and effective implementation of MARPOL Annex VI.

Mr. Gabino Gonzalez, Head of Office REMPEC, who gave a welcome address at the webinar, emphasized the need for respective IMO Member States to also consolidate the subject matter in line with the IMO Initial GHG Strategy especially for the States bordering the Mediterranean Sea.

MTCC Africa being supported by the IMO Global MTCCs Network, the GMN was represented at the event by Mrs. Petra Ahari, Project Officer. She noted that IMO is committed to expanding the decarbonization agenda in developing countries.

Other Panelists in the webinar are as highlighted below, complete with the topic of their respective presentation.

1. Technical Portside Elements – Eng. Denis Mulwa, Senior Electrical Engineer at KPA, MTCC Africa Technical Expert
2. Arab Academy for Science Technology & Maritime Transport (AASTMT), Egypt – Prof. Alsnosy Balbaa, Vice President of AASTMT for African & Asian Affairs
3. Prevention of Air Pollution and Reduction of Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Ships in the Mediterranean Sea – Mr Franck Lauwers, Programme Officer (Prevention), REMPEC
4. Lessons learnt from the implementation of MARPOL Annex VI – Mr Samir Khedhira, Expert contrôleur général, Agence Nationale de Protection de l’Environnement (ANPE), Tunisia
5. Challenges and opportunities to ratify and implement MARPOL Annex VI – Mr Mohamed Redouane Chakour, Chef d’Etudes, Direction de la Marine Marchande et des Ports, Algeria