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16–17 April 2019, Klaipėda, Lithuania

The COMPLETE project partners gathered in Lithuania for a project meeting on 16–17 April 2019. The visit was hosted by the scientific coordinator of COMPLETE, professor Sergej Olenin and the Marine Research Institute of Klaipėda University. There were also representatives of the Klaipėda State Seaport Authority, an associated partner of COMPLETE, and guests from institutions involved in similar R&D projects on ballast water and biofouling from the Marine Biology Institute of the National Academy of Sciences (Odessa, Ukraine) and the Atlantic Branch of the P.P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Kaliningrad, Russia).

In the meeting, the latest project progress was updated and next milestones for further activities were set. One of the main themes in the meeting was co-operation with the stakeholders. The knowledge and experiences of the stakeholders are essential for achieving the project objectives. That is why the COMPLETE activities aimed at filling knowledge gaps constitute the basis for the development of a regional harmonised Baltic Sea management strategy on biofouling with the aim of minimising species introduction and spreading as well as establishing the knowledge basis for a Baltic Sea-wide harmonisation of processes. In general, COMPLETE is addressing one of the key challenges of the region by dealing with the complex problem of ballast water and ships’ hull management and involving several target groups, including authorities, the private sector and the public.

COMPLETE Working Group at the Klaipėda University.