Helmepa In The Usa

11/11/2009 HELMEPA in the USA In the framework of the World Maritime Day Parallel Events in New York, the Steering Committee of INTERMEPA convened there on Wednesday 14 October 2009, hosted by NAMEPA, under the Chairmanship of Captain Vassillis C. Constantakopoulos and Dimitris C. Mitsatsos as Secretary. Participating MEPAs included CYMEPA, HELMEPA, NAMEPA and TURMEPA. Following an invitation by the US Coast Guard, the representatives of HELMEPA attended the World Maritime Day Parallel Events organized by the U.S. Coast Guard between 15 and 18 October in New York. Interesting was the one-day Conference also organized for the Coast Guard's guests, where USCG Commandant Admiral Thad Allen, ΙΜΟ Secretary General Ε. Mitropoulos, high ranking officials of the US Government such as those from the Environmental Protection Agency and Maritime Administration, as well as representatives of shipping companies, classification societies and international maritime associations, spoke about "Climate Change: a challenge for the International Maritime Organization too". Dr. John Holdren, Director, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, Advisor of President Barack Obama on Environmental Issues, used statistical data to outline in a clear manner the issue of climate change that is threatening our planet and more generally his Government's environmental policy. In the framework of these events in New York, meetings were carried out between HELMEPA's Director General and US Coast Guard officials, which continued with a meeting at the USCG's headquarters in Washington. Present in the latter were the leadership and staff members responsible for the areas of environmental protection, marine safety and security. The exchange of views that took place aimed at enhancing the cooperation between the two organizations and extending it to other MEPAs through INTERMEPA, of which they are members.