Mine Clearance and Drone Fleet in Maritime Act

The European Commission is presenting a European Ocean Act, to be followed by a European Ocean Strategy in 2027, to improve conditions for the oceans and those who live near them.

‘The EU’s Ocean Pact is not a message in a bottle – it is a concrete action plan. Through greater knowledge of the ocean and stronger maritime safety, we will protect our waters and our communities,’ promises EU Commissioner for the Sea and Fisheries Costas Kadis in a press release.

The pact contains promises for a wide range of strategies for the environment, fisheries and tourism. These include the mandatory introduction of digital catch reports in fisheries from 2026, a special plan to clear old mines – starting in the Baltic Sea – and the creation of a European drone fleet for maritime surveillance.

^{Cover image: Swedish mine clearance vessel HMS Ulvön during exercises off Västervik in 2021. Archive image. Photo: Johan Nilsson/TT}