Organized by the European Commission, the Italian Ministry of Sustainable Infrastructures and Sustainable Mobility, the City of Ravenna and the Region of Emilia-Romagna, the first European Maritime Day (EMD) 22 took place last 19-20 of May with more than 1400 attendees, physically and online.
The EMD 22 has sent a clear and strong message to the World regarding the global commitment of the European Union to the Blue Economy and cooperation in maritime affairs, despite the challenges we are facing nowadays.
Lt CDR Diego Canovas-Canovas, Special Advisor for the Shipping Industry and interagency, represented EU NAVFOR ATALANTA in the workshop “The EU as a global maritime security actor”. This workshop was moderated by the European External Action Service (EEAS), and together with most distinguished colleagues from EU NAVFOR IRINI, EU CRIMARIO and EU Multilateral Fora in Asia project.
The workshop was a priceless opportunity to show the effort that the EU is doing in the maritime domain and focused on the EU Common Security and Defense Policy naval operations in the Mediterranean and in the Indian Ocean, as well as on EU capacity-building projects to improve maritime domain awareness and to promote international maritime law in the Indo-Pacific.
Before more than 140 registered attendees, both in person and online, Lt CDR Canovas put a special emphasis on the humanitarian (WFP) impact of ATALANTA core task (maritime security for the benefit of real people in need) and how ATALANTA contributes to the welfare and security of citizens (energy, supplies, criminal activities at sea and its impact ashore, etc.). In addition, he explained the unique partnership developed with the Shipping Industry based on trust, how EU NAVFOR protects shipping traffic and seafarers operating in the region, and the efforts of the shipping industry.
“In a World more and more dependent on Blue Economy, without secured oceans and seas, development and sustainability will not be easy,” Lt CDR said. “Sustainable blue economy for green recovery” is only possible in a secured and safe maritime domain.
