As last year, Common Maritime Agenda for the Black Sea aims to highlight noteworthy achievements in the maritime basin with the Black Sea Project Awards.
Common Maritime Agenda for the Black Sea aims to reward projects in various fields that produce innovative and replicable solutions that embody the Black Sea sustainable blue economy goals.
The award categories are divided into three. Applicants can apply for the category that fits the scope of their project, as well as a second category that has an indirect impact on other categories. The first category is Healthy Marine and Coastal Ecosystems, which focuses on environmental protection, sustainability in resource exploitation, combating marine pollution and litter, sustainable fisheries and aquaculture, innovative marine research infrastructure and environmental monitoring. The second category is Competitive, Innovative and Sustainable Blue Economy for the Black Sea, focusing on innovative business models, research and innovation, sustainable growth, job creation, transport, digital connectivity and fostering of blue skills and maritime careers. The final category, Fostering Investment in the Black Sea Blue Economy, seeks projects that highlight access to financial resources, promoting sustainable investment in the Blue Economy and supporting maritime entrepreneurship and clusters.
By August 16, all applications are expected to be submitted online and in English. Projects must have been initiated and/or completed within 36 months prior to the announcement of the call, and applications must be submitted by individuals or organizations that are project leaders or partners in a project consortium, including professionals, entrepreneurs, research institutions, maritime clusters, associations and NGOs in countries such as Bulgaria, Georgia, Moldova, Romania, Türkiye and Ukraine.
The winners will be announced on August 28 and will have the opportunity to present their projects at the Black Sea Project Award ceremony at the Annual Stakeholder Conference in Chisinau, Moldova on September 11. The awarded projects will also receive increased visibility through the Common Maritime Agenda for the Black Sea‘s digital channels, media coverage and a dedicated CMA Newsletter. Selected projects will receive a special award and a special Black Sea Project Award Seal to be used in communication and marketing materials. In addition, a “winner of winners” will be determined through a dynamic presentation competition during the award ceremony, providing an additional boost to visibility and recognition.
Please click here for application.
At last year’s Common Maritime Agenda for the Black Sea 2023 Stakeholders Conference, the award was given to the ANEMONE project, which was implemented in the 2014-2020 period of the Interreg NEXT Black Sea Basin Programme and was implemented by TUBITAK Marmara Research Center and Turkish Marine Research Foundation. Under the project, which aimed to protect the health of marine species and marine and coastal ecosystems, experts from Romania, Bulgaria, Türkiye and Ukraine developed a common and harmonized monitoring and assessment system for the Black Sea basin.