In Ukraine, as in many European countries, great attention is paid to the preservation and sustainable development of marine resources and the natural environment. These issues become especially important in the context of European cooperation, namely during the celebration of the European Maritime Day (EMD). This is an event that is gaining more and more popularity and importance in our country, attracting the attention of specialists, activists and the public to the issues of marine resources and sustainable development in the maritime space.
Thanks to the joint efforts of the Business Support Center team and Team Europe Mykolaiv in 2018, Ukraine officially joined the European maritime community and began to celebrate the European Maritime Day in the country. Since 2020, the PU «Ukrainian Maritime Cluster» has joined the organization of events dedicated to EMD.
EMD organizes conferences and seminars where experts, scientists and public representatives discuss current topics related to marine economy, fisheries, environmental protection and sustainable development. Campaigns and public events held as part of the European Maritime Day are aimed at drawing attention to the problems of marine pollution and the impact of human activity on the marine environment. For example, in Mykolaiv, for several years in a row, the exhibition «European Maritime Day in Mykolaiv» was held in the shopping center «City-Center» and was organized by Team Europe Mykolaiv.
Since 2022, in connection with the martial law caused by the full-scale attack of the Russian Federation on Ukraine, most of the activities related to the maritime industry will take place remotely or in a mixed format.
On May 25, 2023, the Blue Summit will be held in a hybrid format on the topic «On the way to a sustainable maritime economy. Strategic priorities of the economic recovery of Ukraine». The event is organized by Team Europe Mykolaiv and Ukrainian Maritime Cluster with the support of the EU Delegation to Ukraine in the framework of European Maritime Days 2023.
Aim of the meeting is to unite and consolidate the efforts and joint actions of key market players, central and local authorities to save and support the development of Ukraine’s maritime industry, as well as to boost Ukraine’s activities in the European Maritime Community. Key priorities will include reconstruction of the Maritime branch of Ukraine as an entire and sustainable structure. It’s also important to discuss the place and importance of the maritime complex of Ukraine in the conditions of the European vector of economic integration and raise the urgent issue of maritime saving and development, the current activities of Ukrainian Maritime Cluster, and its planned projects.
We also suggest that you mention the events that took place within the framework of the European Maritime Day in Ukraine:
May 24, 2022 Blue Summit on the topic «On the way to a sustainable economy», organized by the Business Support Center and the Ukrainian Maritime Cluster.
This event brought together representatives of shipbuilding and research enterprises (MDEM, C-Job Nikolayev, KP «DPCK»), educational institutions (Black Sea University Network, NUK, ONMU), business structures and organizations (SEA Europe, Ukrsudprom, Team Europe Mykolaiv, Business Support Center) Clusters (Ukrainian Maritime Cluster, Ukrainian Cluster Alliance), representatives of the Ministry of Strategic Industries of Ukraine, concern «Ukroboronprom» and Mykolaiv City Council.
During the round table, issues of EU policy and practice regarding sustainable economy were raised. Rene Berkwens (Chairman of SEA Europe) shared his experience about further cooperation between the Maritime Cluster of Ukraine and maritime companies in Europe, and support for the maritime industry of the European Union in the future. Eden Mamut (Black Sea University Network), in his speech, outlined the idea of a structure that brings together parties in the EU economy and non-EU Black Sea countries to stimulate innovation, digitalization and investment in the Black Sea economy. Denis Chernikov («Information support of EU networks in Ukraine») talked about the EU’s plans for the reconstruction of Ukraine after the war, about the actions that the EU has already taken for Ukraine’s victory over russia’s aggression.
On May 28, 2021, the Round Table «Shared Sustainable Future: Economy of the Ukrainian Maritime Cluster» was held, organized by the Business Support Center, PU UMC and Team Europe Mykolaiv Details of the presentations of the Round Table participants can be found at the following links: Section I ; Section II
The event was attended by representatives of shipbuilding and research enterprises, educational institutions, business structures engaged in attracting investments and holding exhibitions, the Ministry of Strategic Industries of Ukraine, the concern «Ukroboronprom» and local self-government bodies.
December 8-10, 2020 Regional marathon «AQUA FARMING-2020» During which the possibilities of water farming were discussed, new ideas for creating business in the fishing industry, we talk with scientists, entrepreneurs, analysts.
July 30, 2020 – «Place in the European Maritime Community. The future and prospects of the maritime industry in the conditions of global economic challenges», organized by the Business Support Center.
On May 16, 2019, the Round Table «Maritime Service Industry» was held, organized by the Business Information Support Center in Mykolaiv
As part of the EU EU4Business initiative, with the support of the EBRD, a round table meeting «Maritime Service Industry» was held in Ukraine. During which the concept of creating the Mykolaiv shipbuilding cluster was prepared and a working group was formed to coordinate further actions in this direction. The participants of the round table emphasized that the joint actions of all enterprises of the industry will help to more effectively solve the issues of legal support, dialogue between business and the authorities, creation and support of educational institutions of the industry, etc.
As part of the event, a Memorandum of Intentions of Cooperation was signed between the Mykolaiv City Council, the Business Support Center, Mykolaiv Shipyard Shipbuilding and Repair Company LLC, Mykolaiv Shipbuilding Plant «Ocean» LLC, Admiral Makarov National Shipbuilding University, Sea-Job Mykolaiv LLC, LLC «Marin Design Engineering Mykolaiv», LLC «Artil LTD», LLC «Magistral Pivden».
June 27, 2018 «AQUA FARMING» conference, organizer: Business Support Center in Mykolaiv.
The conference provided an opportunity for the first time in the years of Ukraine’s independence to raise the issue of reviving large-scale aquatic farming in the waters of the Mykolaiv region, voice the reasons for weak progress and existing problems, as well as find ways to solve them and assess market prospects. During the event, it was noted that the creation and development of sea farming as a sustainable business will allow creating a new serious and promising direction in the economy of the Mykolaiv region, which will create hundreds of jobs. At the same time, there is also a steadily growing demand for aquaculture products in Europe and the world, which indicates the presence of significant potential for sales in both domestic and foreign markets.
Representatives of C-Job Nikolayev (CJN) (since 2020 a member of the Executive Committee of UMC) also took part in the meeting. CJN design engineer Dmytro Volik presented unique design solutions that can be used in the development of aquatic farming in the Mykolaiv region, using the example of a project that our company carried out for the Cypriot customer «Kimagro Fish». The company’s engineers developed a unique object, which is a non-self-propelled autonomous structure designed for automatic feeding of granular feed into the fish breeding environment. More details:
Reference. The European Maritime Day (EMD) is the annual two-day event during which Europe’s maritime community meet to network, discuss and outline joint action on maritime affairs and sustainable blue economy.
The EMD is the place where ‘Ocean Leaders Meet’. It provides an engaging and completely interactive experience to catch up on the current state of play on a broad range of issues concerning the blue economy and the marine environment and to discuss ways of moving forward. It features a large number of inspirational speakers, thematic sessions, stakeholder workshops and pitch sessions organised by stakeholders and the European Commission. The EMD targets professionals from businesses, governments, public institutions, NGOs and academia as well as EU citizens interested in the sea.
Previous EMD conferences include:
- Brest
- Ravenna 2022: Sustainable blue economy for green recovery
- Den Helder 2021: Towards a sustainable blue economy and ocean literacy for all
- Cork 2020: Because of the coronavirus and social distancing rules, the event was cancelled
- Lisbon 2019: Blue entrepreneurship, research, innovation and investment to boost sustainable technologies and emerging value chains in the wider ocean economy.
- Burgas 2018: “A blue growth Initiative for research and innovation in the Black Sea”
- Poole 2017: “The Future of our Seas”.
- Turku 2016: “Investing in blue growth – smart and sustainable solutions”
- Piraeus 2015: “Ports and Coasts, Gateways to Maritime Growth”
- Bremen 2014: “Innovation driving Blue Growth”
- Valletta 2013: “Coastal Development and Sustainable Maritime Tourism”
- Gothenburg 2012: “Sustainable Growth from the Oceans, Seas and Coasts”
- Gdansk 2011: “Maritime Policy: Putting People First”
- Gijón 2010: “How to foster innovation?”
- Rome 2009: “Integrated Maritime Policy and the contribution of maritime clusters”
- Brussels 2008: “A regional approach to the implementation of Maritime Policy”
