The International Network of Marine Science Territories

During the 3^rd international Safer Seas conference on maritime security held in Brest in May 2011, all the leading maritime metropolises present launched the foundations of an "International network of marine science territories".

On this occasion, this first group of partners signed a draft agreement in which they promise to lay the foundations of this network, its governance and a work plan.

This initiative is the result of two observations:

• The ocean is playing an increasingly large part in the global economy of the 21^st century and a central part in climatic change.
• The deterioration of the marine environment and coastal areas in particular requires that the entire maritime community is united in developing good practices and an appropriate policy.

This issue requires that the entire international community cooperates to increase our knowledge of the ocean and set up new patterns for the sustainable exploitation of its resources.

The objective is to weave a network between those different territories and communicate on the various scientific and technological projects put forward by public and private organizations to boost the development of new skills, technologies and services.

The leading maritime metropolises involved in this network are: Kiel (Germany), Vigo and Barcelona (Spain), Shanghai and Qingdao (China), Comodoro Rivadavia (Argentina), Veracruz (Mexico), Rimouski (Canada), Constanta (Romania), Hai Phong (Vietnam) and of course Brest (France).

A first meeting to officialise this international network will be held on the 12^th and 13^th July 2012 just before the Tonnerres de Brest event.