Visit to the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA)

On 1 July 2025, IOPC Funds’ Director, Gaute Sivertsen, and HNS Project Manager, Gillian Grant, visited the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) in Lisbon, Portugal.  

The IOPC Funds Secretariat and EMSA have worked in close cooperation on projects, training activities and incidents for many years, but this was the first occasion that Mr Sivertsen and EMSA’s Executive Director, Maja Markovčić Kostelac, have had to meet in person. Several members of EMSA’s Executive Team also joined the meeting, during which Mr Sivertsen delivered a brief presentation on the work of the IOPC Funds for the benefit of those less familiar with the organisation, before discussing some of the current specific issues facing the IOPC Funds as well as other shared challenges facing the wider maritime community.   

Ms Grant also took the opportunity to discuss the 2010 HNS Convention and its progress towards entry into force.

The EMSA representatives informed the Director of their work to support European States with pollution prevention and response and maritime domain awareness.  They also provided a tour of the Agency’s headquarters including the Maritime Support Services Centre. 

This exchange of information was very useful and the meeting served as a great opportunity to further strengthen the relationship between EMSA and the IOPC Funds.