About:

The NESBp project supports the Greater North Sea Basin Initiative (GNSBI) in fostering international cooperation for maritime spatial planning (MSP) in the North Sea basin, with close ties to the Baltic Sea region. It aims to strengthen collaboration among North Sea countries and between the North Sea and Baltic Sea regions. By linking GNSBI with HELCOM-VASAB MSP WG, the project promotes knowledge sharing and networking across sea basins to enable strategic, efficient MSP, building on insights from the eMSP NBSR project and other EU Green Deal MSP initiatives.

NESBp seeks to overcome siloed approaches by connecting international efforts, aligning marine plans, and encouraging integrative, multi-perspective cooperation. It supports the GNSBI in promoting more cohesive international collaboration and better-connected work among existing cooperation bodies.

Key Objectives

• Ensure coherent MSP implementation and maritime policy alignment across borders in the North Sea basin
• Evaluate cross-border cooperative interactions among authorities and inter-ministerial bodies
• Establish a structure for cross-border collaboration and learning with North and Baltic Sea countries
• Promote integrated, ecosystem-based governance in the Greater North Sea Basin
• Facilitate the application of ecosystem-based MSP approaches
• Provide practical solutions to enhance multi-use of marine areas
• Support sea basin-level decision-making through a knowledge and data-sharing platform

Activities/Results

• Evaluate maritime spatial plans within key work package themes
• Enhance MSP development and implementation through improved networks, organizational memory, and informed decision-making
• Disseminate eMSP NBSR outcomes via GNSBI technical working groups and knowledge-sharing platforms
• Develop practical concepts combining an ecosystem-based approach with sustainable blue economy activities
• Conduct gap analyses and cumulative assessments of MSPs and related themes

Learn more about the previous project – eMSP NBSR – that laid the foundation for this new initiative:  https://vasab.org/project/emsp-nbsr/

Lead Partner:

• Ministry of Economic Affairs / Netherlands Enterprise Agency –  Netherlands

Project Partners:

• Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management – Netherlands
• Blue Cluster – Belgium
• The Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency – Germany
• Cerema  – France
• Seascape Belgium – Belgium
• Maritime Institute of Maritime University in Gdynia – Poland
• International Marine and Dredging Consultants – Belgium
• Mantis Consulting – Belgium
• ORG Urbanism & Architecture BV – Belgium
• SHOM (Service Hydrographique et Océanographique de la Marine) – France
• Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management – Sweden
• University of Gothenburg / Swedish Institute for the Marine Environment – Sweden
• University of  Groningen – Netherlands
• SUBMARINER Network for Blue Growth
• Nordregio
• HELCOM
• VASAB Secretariat

Associated Organizations:

• Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature – Netherlands
• Federal Ministry for Housing, Urban Development and Building – Germany

Contact info:

Whether you’re looking for answers, would like to join NESBp activities or any other MSP thought on your mind, contact us.

Ms. Marjoleine Nascimento da Silva Karper
Project management
Email: Marjoleine.Karper@rvo.nl

Ms. Liene Strazdina
Project communication
Email: Liene.Strazdina@vasab.org