At this year’s Internautica, which took place from 4 to 8 May at Marina Portorož, the BALMAS project was awarded a special prize for environmental awareness. A twelve-member expert jury recognised the project team, led by the Water Research Institute, for its outstanding contributions to the protection, conservation and improvement of natural resources in the Adriatic region. The BALMAS project focuses on tackling issues related to ballast water, which is one of the four biggest causes of marine and ocean pollution.The main objective of the BALMAS project is to develop a joint cross-border system that will bring together research institutions, experts and the relevant national authorities of the Adriatic countries, with the aim of avoiding undesirable environmental risks arising from the introduction of harmful and pathogenic aquatic organisms into the Adriatic Sea. This will be achieved through the monitoring and management of ship ballast water and sediments. The application of the knowledge and technologies developed within the BALMAS project will contribute to the long-term and effective management of ballast water in the Adriatic.
As part of the project, a comprehensive analysis of the current situation will be carried out in 12 Adriatic ports (Koper, Trieste, Venice, Bari, Ancona, Pula, Rijeka, Split, Šibenik, Ploče, Bar and Drač). In addition, a port monitoring system, an early warning system for ports, a decision-support system and a ballast water management system for the entire Adriatic Sea will be developed. One of the project’s key objectives is also to raise awareness among various target groups in all participating countries regarding this issue and to present joint solutions for ballast water management in the Adriatic Sea.
BALMAS is a strategic project within the framework of the IPA Adriatic Cross-Border Programme. The partnership comprises 15 partners from six countries (Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania and Italy), led by the Water Research Institute of the Republic of Slovenia. The project is worth €7.1 million, of which €6 million is co-financed by the European Union. The project began in 2013 and will run until September 2016. More information about the project.