Ireland is the country of honour at this year’s Sea Tech Week, the international event dedicated to marine and maritime science and technology.

The 14th edition of the expo takes place from 15-17 October at the Quartz Congress Centre in Brest, the port city in north-western France that’s twinned with Dun Laoghaire.

Registration is now open for visitors and exhibitors — and is free for Irish delegates.

“A breath of fresh Éire” is the tagline for Sea Tech Week 2024, which will feature three keynote panel discussions, and more than 30-plus workshops on cybersecurity, offshore energy, regulation, governments’ action at sea, new routes and more, alongside an international trade fair with over 40 exhibitors.

The three days will also see more than 200 B2B meetings, visits to business and labs for the Irish delegation, and a networking cocktail reception.

This year’s country of honour is Ireland, marking the first time in Sea Tech Week’s 20-plus-year history that a European country will receive this recognition.

The event’s organisers, Campus mondial de la mer, say their aim is “to strengthen bilateral ties with Ireland’s closest EU neighbour and facilitate fruitful discussions on the most important topics in the European maritime space”.

To that end, the Embassy of Ireland in France will have a pavilion at the trade show, and a number of workshops will have a particular focus on Ireland:

• ‘Funding opportunities to facilitate Franco-Irish collaboration in the blue economy’ organised by Enterprise Ireland – Tuesday 15 October 3.15pm
• ‘Smart green port’ by Enterprise Ireland – Wednesday 16 October 3.15pm
• ‘France-Ireland workshop on cybersecurity risks and challenges in the maritime sector’ co-organised by the University of Western Brittany and the University of Limerick – Thursday 17 October 9.30am
• ‘Imagery of the sea in Irish arts, literature, and culture’ led by Dun Laoghaire’s Institute of Art Design & Technology (IADT) – Thursday 17 October 09.30am

The full list speakers and further information on the workshops will be announced in the coming weeks.

Meanwhile, maritime safety and security will be top of the agenda for this year’s edition, with workshops led by high-level panellists from esteemed organisations from across the world covering topics ranging from cybersecurity, robotics, data and space technology to ports, vessels and tackling pollution.

The event will be attended by thousands of scientists, entrepreneurs, clusters and researchers with opportunities to share the latest advances in research and innovation, make new contacts and further develop partnerships and cooperation, with a particular focus on the implications for the wider world.

For more details, see the Sea Tech Week website HERE.

The Marine Survey Office (MSO) of the Irish Maritime Administration has completed a review of security risk assessments for vessels and ports engaged in domestic shipping operation on the Irish coast.

This review was conducted as part of the obligations under EU Regulation (EC) No 725/2004 – Enhancing Ship and Port Facility Security, which entered into force on 31 March 2004.

The objective of this Regulation is to introduce and implement measures aimed at enhancing the security of ships used in international and domestic trade, and associated port facilities within EU member states, in the face of threats of intentional unlawful acts.

Article 3.3 of the Regulation requires that member states shall, after a mandatory security risk assessment, decide the extent to which they will apply the provisions of this Regulation to different categories of ships operating on national domestic services, their companies and the port facilities serving them, and this is subject to periodic review.

Details of the maritime security measures to be applied as a result of this review are outlined in Marine Notice No 9 of 2023, which is available to read or download below. This notice supersedes Marine Notice No 61 of 2013 which is hereby revoked.

Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan today (Monday 9 August) participated in the first signature event of India’s UN Security Council presidency and has welcomed the agreement by the Council of a Presidential Statement on maritime security to mark the occasion.

The Open Debate, focusing on the issue of maritime security, was chaired by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. During the debate, Minister Ryan underlined the importance of securing our seas.

“The free and peaceful use of the seas and oceans is vital for us all, not least for island nations such as Ireland,” the minister said. “Delivering on this objective means that the seas remain a resource for all nations, as well as a medium for interconnectivity and mutual understanding.”

Minister Ryan spoke about the centrality of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which sets out rights and duties for coastal states and is central to the peaceful settlement of maritime disputes. He called on those states who have not yet ratified or acceded to UNCLOS to consider doing so now.

“Ensuring respect for this landmark Convention is critical for maritime security, as it settles rules for the mutual benefit of all states,” he said.

“To address maritime security effectively, we need a comprehensive approach that addresses all aspects — efforts to counter transnational crime at sea, including piracy; the freedom of navigation; the protection of the marine environment and the safeguarding of the oceans’ resources.”

Minister Ryan also highlighted Ireland’s contribution to this area, including through the EU and its maritime operations and related missions.

“As a committed troop-contributing country, to both UN and EU peacekeeping and crisis management operations, Ireland is very aware that efforts to preserve peace and international security have to take account of the maritime context,” he said.

The minister underlined that global cooperation is essential to safeguard our seas against increasing threats and security challenges, particularly in the COVID-19 context. He also stressed the importance of protecting our seas and oceans from climate change and other environmental threats.

In concluding, Minister Ryan noted that it is “our global responsibility” to protect the oceans — a “resource that sustains so many of us”.