HELCOM
Regional coordinator
About the project
SAFE Actions for Environment - Baltic Solutions to the Black Sea
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Project Goal
The goal of the SAFE-BS2BKS project is to transfer and implement the most effective and safe techniques used in the Baltic Sea for managing underwater munitions in the Black Sea region, with a strong focus on environmental security and the sustainability of marine ecosystems, especially in protected areas.
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Project Leadership
The project leader H9 (the EU and the Contracting Parties to HELCOM that are also Member States of the EU) will leverage its macro-regional network to foster discussions and organize key stakeholder dialogue and workshops. This will provide a substantial input for HELCOM BSAP action S34 while ensuring cross-sectoral multidisciplinary outreach and knowledge transfer to the Black Sea region and Ukraine in particular.
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Key Activities
Activities will apply proven Baltic methods for assessing and mitigating hazards from submerged munitions, integrating them into marine monitoring and climate adaptation strategies. Special care will be taken in environmentally protected and sensitive marine areas where sea-dumped munitions can harm biodiversity and ecosystem integrity.
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Knowledge Exchange
Black Sea stakeholders will gain essential expertise through this exchange of knowledge and training. The project will develop an Action Plan with recommendations and an outline of future actions for the safe management of unexploded ordnances in the Black Sea, ensuring structured and coordinated marine environmental protection and risk management.
Key Objectives
What SAFE-BS2BKS aims to achieve.
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Environmental risk assessment
Assessment of environmental risks from sea-dumped munitions.
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Marine monitoring integration
Integration of these risks into marine monitoring systems.
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Capacity building
Capacity building through training and workshops.
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Joint Action Plan
Development of a Joint Baltic-Black Sea Action Plan.
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Communication
Communication with authorities, scientific community, and the public.
Project News
International Conference in Stockholm: integrating Ukrainian experience.
10-12 March 2026, Stockholm
MUNIMAP - HELCOM IC EG Submerged - MUNI-RISK - SAFE-BS2BKS Project Meeting
Stockholm hosted an international information seminar for policy stakeholders focused on risk assessment, monitoring, and remediation of sea-dumped and submerged munitions. Participants included HELCOM, the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS), and partners from MUNIMAP, MUNI-RISK, and SAFE-BS2BKS. Ukraine was represented by experts from the Institute of Climate-Smart Agriculture, the Ukrainian Scientific Centre of Ecology of the Sea, and the Institute of Marine Biology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.
SAFE-BS2BKS Session: Ukraine's experience
Climate-driven risk factors and scientific assessment for the Black Sea
During the panel "SAFE-BS2BKS Session on the experiences from Ukraine", experts presented findings on how climate change amplifies risks associated with submerged munitions in the Black Sea. Special attention was given to water temperature increase, hydrodynamic change, and bottom sediment degradation as drivers of contaminant mobilisation. Technical sessions also covered BATs/BEPs, criteria for remediation prioritisation, and improvements to regulatory and administrative frameworks.
Policy stakeholder briefing
CBSS coordination and integration of Ukrainian expertise
The final day focused on dialogue with ambassadors of CBSS member states and Ukraine's Deputy Ambassador to Sweden, Dmytro Husiev. Consortium partners highlighted priorities for further cooperation: ecotoxicological modelling, systematic monitoring, Black Sea hydrological specifics, and the role of biological indicators in long-term impact assessment. The event confirmed strong international interest in harmonised approaches and the importance of integrating Ukrainian experience into European policy development on marine munitions risk management.
Key Outputs
Tangible project results.
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Practical guidelines
Practical guidelines for national authorities.
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Policy briefs
Policy briefs for evidence-based decision-making.
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Training materials
Training materials and case studies.
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Awareness videos
Awareness-raising videos for communities and stakeholders.
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Joint Action Plan
The Joint Action Plan as a tool for long-term risk management.
Partners
International coalition.
Aarhus University
Denmark
Latvian Institute of Aquatic Ecology
Latvia
Ukrainian Scientific Centre of Ecology of the Sea (UkrSCES)
Ukraine
Institute of Marine Biology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine
Ukraine
Institute of Climate-Smart Agriculture of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine
Ukraine
Project Impact
Expected outcomes.
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Environmental
Risk reduction for marine ecosystems and MPAs.
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Scientific
Strengthened interregional expertise and risk assessment methodologies.
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Policy
Support for evidence-based decision-making and harmonisation of approaches.
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Societal
Increased awareness among coastal communities.
Contacts
Get in touch.
Coordinator: Andriy Grafov (HELCOM)
E-mail: andriy.grafov@helsinki.fi