LETS SAVE OUR SEAS - THE GREEK CONNECTION

Following a successful presentation at The World Maritime University in Malmo, AUSMEPA Executive Office, Julie Nash traveled on to Greece where she met with founding INTERMEPA members the Helenic Marine Environment Protection Association - HELMEPA

HELMEPA and AUSMEPA have a special bond. AUSMEPA, formed in the year 2000, is one of many offshoots from the original innovative Greek association formed in 1982. 

That's 37 years of educating, acting and changing behaviour! 

Additionally first Chairman of AUSMEPA was Captain Michael Alexander, who was raised in Greece. Captain Alexander lead AUSMEPA through some creative early years and stayed on in an advisory capacity for many years afterwards.

HELMEPA has done a remarkable job in demonstrating how the Greek community could and would make a difference to their coastal waters and shores. 

While visiting the HELMEPA education centre Ms Nash interacted with Greek students who showed a strong desire to help their environment. One activity undertaken regularly is beach clean-up. 

Thanks HELMEPA for leading the way and giving us all a wonderful example of how a motivated community can make a difference.  You can visit the HELMEPA website here.

www.ausmepa.org.au

EMISSION CONTROL - AUSTRALIA'S NEWEST BEST TOOL IN THE SPOTLIGHT

EMISSION CONTROL - AUSTRALIA'S NEWEST BEST TOOL IN THE SPOTLIGHT

The Australian Marine Environment Protection Association (AUSMEPA) wowed the audience of the Global Maritime Technology Cooperation Centres (MTCC ) Network Project gathered in Malmo Sweden during the first week of October this year.

 AUSMEPA's Executive Officer, Ms. Julie Nash, took the stage to unveil the Marine Emissions Portal - Australia's MEP.

The members of the MTCC project came from universities, organisations and agencies from around the world for a Seminar on Trends and Challenges following the Paris Agreement to and to look at information that could help them reach their environmental targets.

Ms Nash said "It was truly an honour to be before this group who are dedicated to raising the bar on the environmental outcomes for the ocean."

The audience enthusiastically responded to her presentation and the MEP was given an opportunity to demonstrate how ship emissions could be monitored in real time - right here, right now.  

The dashboard for the MEP then went live on stage and was able to show sulphur, nitrogen, carbon and particulate matter emissions from ships at one of the participating pilot ports.

"This tool is a game changer," Julie said, "as it has been expensive and untimely for ports and decision makers to review emissions from ships in the past. The MEP tool will change all of that. It relies on AIS tracking (through Oceaneering) and big data (through Rightship). The operation has been rigorously trialled and validated independently. Now benchmarking for emissions will be easy and can be reviewed with the most up to date information available."

"MEP was developed with seed funding achieved through the Google Impact Challenge Australia grant win in 2016.

AUSMEPA, a not for profit, is largely an environmental education organisation developing educational materials for schools and for the maritime sector. As a country that relies on international shipping, emissions are an important community issue.” 

“In order to drive the project forward we have the perfect partner in Rightship who are committed to reducing risks for a cleaner safer maritime industry. As a result Rightship, based in Melbourne, have taken inquiries and orders from around the world.” Julie said. 

AUSMEPA are incredibly proud of this new tool and from the audience response it is set for significant uptake as a useful, relevant and relatively inexpensive tool.

The Seminar was funded by the European Union (EU) with implementation by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), AUSMEPA thanks the IMO for the invitation to speak as well as sponsors Rightship and consultants Oceaneering for making this tool come to life.Their help made it possible to develop an innovative tool that will contribute to air quality as well as keeping our oceans healthy.

www.ausmepa.org.au