Accession of Spain to the Bonn Agreement

The number of Contracting Parties cooperating to prevent and respond to marine pollution in the Bonn Agreement area has raised from ten to eleven. The decision of the accession of Spain was agreed at the 2019 Ministerial Meeting in Bonn, Germany. Since then, Spain has deposited its instrument of accession with Germany, which is Depositary of the Bonn Agreement, and has become, officially, a Contracting Party to the Bonn Agreement.

As Secretary of the Bonn Agreement, I feel this milestone is key in the history of the Bonn Agreement, which celebrated its 50 anniversary in 2019. The words of Benito Núñez Quintanilla, General Director of the Merchant Marine, reflects Spain’s commitment and how the enlargement of the Bonn Agreement area can greatly contribute to the ongoing regional collaboration. This achievement is the result of a common effort with Spain and France agreeing on the new responsibility zones, Germany facilitating the necessary arrangements as Depositary of the Agreement and all Contracting Parties supporting the accession. I am sure that the accession of the Kingdom of Spain to the Bonn Agreement will strengthen the Agreement to cover new challenges such as monitoring activities of air emissions from shipping in relation to MARPOL Annex VI. Spain, welcome to the Bonn Agreement!

Dominic Pattinson, Secretary of the Bonn Agreement

On the 1st of January 2022, the Kingdom of Spain became a Contracting Party to the Bonn Agreement.

It is an honour for us to contribute to the ongoing work on marine pollution prevention, preparedness and response in the Bonn Agreement area. The Bay of Biscay is now part of the wider approach of the Greater North Sea with Finisterre’s Separation Traffic Scheme controlling the main traffic route in Europe, which connects the North Sea and the Mediterranean Sea.

After many years as observers, our commitment to protect our coastal and marine environment from accidental and illegal marine pollution is today more solid and robust. Spanish Maritime Authority has stated this during recent events such as the “2022 United Nations Our Oceans Conference” held in Lisbon in June 2022, and we will continue doing so with this Agreement and other relevant conventions like MARPOL, where we are very active aiming for sustainability in all dimensions. Our resources and expertise will be incorporated in the regional cooperation under the Bonn Agreement, and Spain will be actively involved in the implementation of its Strategy Action Plan. We are looking forward to all the challenges ahead of us, including the cooperation on surveillance in respect to the requirements of Annex VI to the MARPOL Convention.

El Dirtector General de la Marina Mercante, Benito Núñez Quintanilla