The Cyprus Shipping Chamber participated through its Deputy Director General, Mr. Alexandros Josephides, as part of the delegation of the Cyprus Research & Innovation Foundation, in the 4th BLUEMED Platforms meeting held on 15-16 October 2019, at the offices of the Union of the Mediterranean in Barcelona, Spain.

The BLUEMED Initiative is an EU funded Initiative for promoting the Blue Economy in the Mediterranean Basin through the cooperation of the countries involved for a healthy, safe and productive

Mediterranean Sea. This Initiative aims to contribute to the creation of new ‘blue’ jobs, social well-being and a sustainable growth in the marine and maritime sectors through the implementation of a Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda, the “BLUEMED SRIA”.

During the Platforms meeting, representatives from countries of the Mediterranean region both EU and non-EU members, exchanged knowledge and discussed the future actions of this Initiative. The discussion evolved around drafting the implementation plan for the selected thirteen priority Blue Economy areas, which include sustainable food production, marine pollution impacts and mitigation, climate change mitigation measures, tourism, effective maritime spatial planning, greening vessels, facilities and services, blue-biotech, marine renewable energies, building capacity, blue skills and blue professionals and strengthening synergies among science, industry, policymakers and society.

The BLUEMED SRIA is expected to be completed in September 2020.