The 7th Meeting of Contractors of the International Seabed Authority (ISA), organised by the Secretariat of this UN agency and the Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology (KIOST), took place in Busan (Republic of South Korea) from 30 September to 2 October 2024.

On behalf of the PGI-NRI, Michał Tomczak, PhD, from the Pomeranian Branch of the PGI-NRI participated in the event.

Meetings of contractors having agreements with ISA for polymetallic exploration in deep-sea areas beyond national jurisdiction provide a natural meeting space between contractors and ISA and aim to discuss technical issues related to the implementation and management of ISA agreements, as well as common challenges and identify possible areas of cooperation. These meetings have been held in different countries since 2017 (in 2018 one was held in Poland) and provide an excellent opportunity for contractors and sponsoring countries to exchange experiences and present their achievements.

This year's meeting, held under the motto of supporting dialogue and joint efforts to develop effective tools and regulations for the work carried out in the area, was attended by 51 participants representing 21 contractors. Poland was represented by representatives of the Ministry of Climate and Environment, the PGI-NRI and the Interoceanmetal Joint Organization from Szczecin.

Key topics included:

• progress on the development of regulations for the future exploitation of minerals from the seabed in the contract area (‘Mining Code’),
• management and compliance of exploration work with ISA regulations,
• an update on training programmes for contractors.

The meeting was also an opportunity to discuss environmental management and monitoring initiatives, the respective strategies of contractors in moving from exploration to exploitation, in line with the terms of their agreements, as well as potential cooperation with companies.

The event also provided an excellent opportunity to promote our country's oceanic activities and to present the extent of the work carried out by PGI-NRI, including the results of two research cruises to the Mid-Atlantic Ridge area. In addition, the meeting allowed for the continuation of discussions with the Indian delegation on strengthening cooperation between PGI-NRI and the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), which conducts intensive research work in the Indian Ocean area.

Text: Michał Tomczak
Photo: isa.org.jm