Photo Caption: Group photo taken during the seminar.
The Mediterranean Sea is a vital route for maritime trade, connecting Europe, Africa, and Asia. Malta is right at the centre of this bustling waterway and sees a constant flow of cargo ships and oil tankers. While this makes it a hub for economic activities, it also poses environmental risks. Past maritime accidents such as the MT Haven oil spill in 1991 off the coast of Genoa, and the Agia Zoni II disaster which occurred near the Greek island of Salamis in 2017, serve as stark reminders of the vulnerability of the region. Such unfortunate incidents underlined the urgency for enhanced safety measures.
The BEYOND CALYPSO project that is partly financed by the EU under the Operational Programme Italia-Malta 2007-2013, and Interreg Italia-Malta Programme 2014-2020, builds on the foundations of the past CALYPSO projects in which a set of seven High-Frequency Radars were installed to monitor Maltese and Sicilian waters. This system provides real-time data on sea surface currents, a pivotal step in ensuring the safety and preservation of our seas. Apart from aiding in search and rescue operations, this data is used to develop oil spill models that simulate how an oil spill may propagate and when it might reach the coast.
A significant milestone of the project was a seminar that was organised on the Friday 27 October 2023, where stakeholders from Malta, Italy, and Tunisia were invited to learn about the outputs of the project. The seminar also had contributions from Transport Malta and WestMed during which the efforts being made to solidify the commitment to maritime safety were presented.
The project is managed by with the support of from the Oceanography Malta Research Group (OMRG) within the . This effort highlights the commitment to protect Malta鈥檚 surrounding waters. With cutting-edge technology and international collaboration, projects like BEYOND CALYPSO provide a beacon of hope in safeguarding our waters and preserving the natural beauty of our island.
