European Maritime Day (EMD) in Cork was a vibrant gathering for ocean advocates, offering Mission Ocean the chance to share insights, strengthen connections, and chart a course for the future. Plenary sessions underscored the importance of aligning sea basin strategies across the Atlantic, Arctic, Mediterranean, and Baltic & North Sea regions.
Fiona Grant from the Marine Institute spotlighted the progress made through Mission Ocean while highlighting ongoing challenges – including the need for long-term investment, stronger funder connections, and better ways to demonstrate our collective impact.
Oliver Wilson, BlueMissionAA Programme Manager, celebrated the workshop’s success in fostering lighthouse collaboration: “As Commissioner Kadis and Director General Charlina Vitcheva reminded us, we must speak with one voice – one that doesn’t just talk about the future, but shapes it.”
This message was echoed by Minister of State Timmy Dooley, who called for a break from siloed approaches through coordinated, coherent sea basin strategies.
Lighthouses Leading the Way
The “Mission Ocean – Unlocking Phase 2 Scalable Governance” workshop brought together lighthouse leaders and Mission stakeholders across sea basins to tackle governance barriers and co-design solutions. Voices from ENGOs, national and local governments, researchers, and the Mission Secretariat enriched the discussions. As moderator Majbritt Bolton-Warberg outlined when opening the workshop ‘This workshop represents an opportunity to bridge the gap between innovation and “business as usual” – to ensure lighthouse projects act not just as beacons, but as springboards for others to succeed. They can be powerful conduits for advancing stakeholder needs while aligning with a broader strategic vision.’
Roundtable sessions explored three key themes:
- Strategic Lighthouse Governance – Tailoring pathways for maximum local and regional impact.
- Sustainable Funding & Impact Alignment – Connecting research and innovation with long-term financing.
- Stakeholder Engagement – Strengthening collaboration and communication at all levels.
The core takeaways included:
- The need to promote strategic connectivity at all levels, both within and between lighthouses.
- CSAs must bridge the gap between innovation and investment, leveraging existing structures and avoiding duplication.
- Ongoing engagement is critical to integrate Mission goals into real-world planning and delivery.
- Communication must be tailored and accessible — ensuring all stakeholders, especially citizens, see, feel, and support the Mission’s progress.
Looking Ahead
The EMD Cork workshop showcased the power of lighthouse collaboration and reaffirmed our shared commitment to Mission Ocean. As we move into Phase 2 of the Mission, lighthouses need to consider how best to provide impact and the best return on investment. The most important thing is that the work and success for Phase 1 are built upon, and that Phase 2 of the Mission builds on the current momentum, connecting knowledge to action and turning ambition into impact. It is imperative that this workshop doesn’t become just another conversation, but a step toward the collective action we all want to see.