PRO-SEAS project inception meeting
Maritime experts and officials convened at IMO headquarters in London on 11 November to launch the work of PRO-SEAS project, marking a new phase in global efforts to tackle sea-based marine plastic pollution. This milestone followed the signing of the UN-to-UN agreement between IMO and FAO to implement PRO-SEAS on 25 September, World Maritime Day 2025. The meeting brought together 33 representatives from beneficiary countries, strategic partners, FAO and IMO. Participants endorsed the project implementation plan and established the Project Steering Committee (PSC), which Costa Rica will chair for the coming year.
The “Plastic Reduction in the Oceans: Sustaining and Enhancing Actions on Sea-based Sources” (PRO-SEAS) project falls under the umbrella of the OceanLitter Programme led by IMO. It is a Global Environment Facility (GEF) funded project implemented by FAO and executed by IMO. The GEF Trust Fund provides US$7.1 million for its execution. This is complemented by US$67 million of in-kind support co-financing provided by project partners. Its core objective is to prevent and reduce marine plastic litter from the shipping and fisheries sectors, delivering targeted technical assistance to four partner countries (Costa Rica, Jamaica, Vanuatu and Kenya) in support of their national priorities.
As the third project under the OceanLitter Programme, PRO-SEAS spans four key global regions (Central America and the Caribbean, Pacific and Africa), covering three Large Marine Ecosystems (LMEs), including the Caribbean Sea LME, the Pacific-Central American Coastal LME and the Somali Coastal Current LME. Through this transboundary and collaborative approach PRO-SEAS aims to expand on the successes of the GloLitter Partnerships project. It continues to implement successful national and regional frameworks towards reducing sea-based marine plastic litter.