A NEW STEP TOWARDS A MORE HARMONISED APPROACH ON THE USE OF DISPERSANTS IN THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN REGION - NEWS FROM THE MEDITERRANEAN BASIN

Within the framework of the Sub- regional Marine Oil Pollution Contingency Plan between Cyprus, Greece and Israel (the Plan), the Marine Environment Protection Directorate, Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy in Greece organised in collaboration with the Regional Marine Pollution Emergency Response Centre for the Mediterranean Sea (REMPEC), a Sub-regional Workshop on "Dispersants, operational usage and effectiveness monitoring" (Piraeus, Greece, 5-6 October 2021). The workshop was attended by sixteen participants representing different national governmental and operational authorities from the three Countries. The workshop enhanced decision making skills to respond to oil spills using dispersants effectively and safely, and initiated dialogue between Cyprus, Greece and Israel to explore ways to harmonise as much as possible the use of dispersants within the Plan.