Clôture à Oran du projet POWER4MED sur la transition énergétique maritime
Summary of the POWER4MED Project Closing Conference
The POWER4MED project, aimed at supporting the energy transition of small ports and vessels in the western Mediterranean, officially concluded with an international conference held in Oran. The event gathered researchers, policymakers, and maritime sector operators to discuss the project’s achievements and future directions.
Project Overview
Launched in November 2023 and funded by the European Fisheries and Maritime Fund (EMFAF) under the WESTMED initiative, POWER4MED focused on enabling local fuel transitions for a greener Mediterranean. This initiative lasted for 20 months and was led by Pr. Beladjine Boumedienne from the University of Science and Technology, Oran, who played a key role in organizing the event.
A consortium of partners from six Mediterranean countries—Algeria, Italy, Egypt, Spain, Libya, and Turkey—collaborated on this project, which aims to facilitate the shift towards clean fuels and sustainable energy technologies. This transition particularly targets small fishing vessels, local ferries, and secondary ports.
Virtual Support Structure
During the conference, Pr. Mohamed Smaïl from the University of Cairo presented key recommendations from the project. He noted the establishment of a virtual support structure led by Italian, Algerian, and Egyptian institutions, designed to offer technical, financial, and regulatory support to maritime operators seeking to transition to greener technologies. This structure is supported by a multidisciplinary team of experts and practical capacity-building tools, which have already been piloted with selected stakeholders.
Future Initiatives
Looking ahead, the conference also served as a platform to announce the launch of two new strategic projects: GREENMEDPORT and SHARE4MED, which are funded by the INTERREG NEXT ME program. These initiatives will enhance cross-border cooperation focused on port digitization, energy conversion of fleets, and sustainable maritime and logistics regulation.
The POWER4MED project represents a significant step towards improving the environmental sustainability of maritime operations in the Mediterranean, fostering collaboration among nations and setting the stage for future developments in the sector.
