New leadership and strategic vision for the Black Sea
At the General Assembly of the Maritime Scientific Society (MSS) held in Varna, a new chairman was elected – the Rector of Burgas Free University (BFU), Prof. Milen Baltov, PhD. The nomination was made by the outgoing chairman, Flotilla Admiral Prof. Kalin Kalinov, PhD.
"BFU holds a key position in European maritime initiatives, including its participation in the European Marine Board," the leadership noted.
Key highlights from the meeting:
- International Black Sea Day 2026: The city of Burgas will host a large-scale scientific conference that will synergize with the "Black Sea 2030" forum.
- Scientific infrastructure: The MSS will take on the role of a Steering Committee for the new research vessel under the "Water Resources Sustainability" program.
- Institutional cooperation: The new Management Board includes leading universities such as NVNA, TU-Varna, MU-Varna, BSU "Prof. Asen Zlatarov", Trakia University, and the Institute of Oceanology at the BAS.
The research vessel project, funded by the Norwegian Financial Mechanism with a resource of 30 million euros, aims to provide a modern base for the implementation of the National Scientific Program "SEA".