The Cabinet approved the National Maritime Spatial Plan on Wednesday.
In her statements following the Cabinet meeting, the Deputy Minister of Shipping, Marina Hatzimanolis, stated that the National Maritime Spatial Plan specifies the spatiotemporal distribution of current and future activities and uses in the maritime waters of the Republic.
According to her, the goal of the plan is to contribute to the support and promotion of sustainable development at sea, applying an ecosystem-based approach, taking into account social, economic, environmental, and cultural aspects, as well as promoting the coexistence of relevant activities and uses.
“Through Maritime Spatial Planning, the Republic aims to contribute to the sustainable development of energy sectors at sea, including Renewable Energy Sources, maritime transport, fisheries and aquaculture, tourism, raw material extraction, as well as the protection of underwater antiquities and the preservation, protection, and improvement of the environment, including resilience to the impacts of climate change,” said Ms. Hatzimanolis.
Furthermore, she noted that the draft of the Maritime Spatial Planning includes all existing and proposed maritime projects in the Energy sector, such as hydrocarbon exploration plots, the East Med gas pipeline, and the EuroAsia Interconnector project.
According to the Deputy Minister of Shipping, provision is also made for the appropriate siting of the Energy Center, which includes all future planning and energy infrastructure.
