Executive Agency Maritime Administration

Executive Agency Maritime Administration The Executive Agency Maritime Administration (EAMA) is a legal entity to the Minister of Transport, Information Technology and Communications. The headquarters of EAMA is situated in Sofia and there are five regional offices located in Varna, Burgas, Ruse and Lom. The statute of the Agency is regulated in the Merchant Shipping Code. The activities, the structure and the work organization are laid down in the Statutory Regulation, adopted by the Council of Ministers. The Agency’s territorial jurisdiction extends to: the internal sea waters, the territorial sea, the Bulgarian section of the Danube River and the relevant coastline, the territory of the ports except the military ones, the Bulgarian search and rescue sea region and the shipping rivers that flow into the Black Sea. The activities of EAMA are mainly focused on the following: • Provision of safety of shipping in the sea spaces and the inland waterways of the Republic of Bulgaria. The Agency exercises control on the compliance with the safety provisions to the ships flying Bulgarian flag (Flag State Control) and the ships calling Bulgarian ports (Port State Control). The Agency ensures the actual liaison between the government and the ships flying Bulgarian flag. EAMA coordinates and organizes the search and rescue activities of people, vessels and aircraft in distress. The Agency participates in the Unified Rescue System; • Protection of the marine environment and the Danube River from pollution from ships. The Agency exercises control in the sea spaces and the inland waterways of the Republic of Bulgaria as to the protection of marine environment and the Danube River, the prevention, decrease and limitation of the pollution from ships. EAMA exercises control on the compliance with the regulations related to the quality of fuels used on board the ships and the approval of waste reception and handling plans; • Control of the seafarers training related to the compliance with the relevant national legislation, EU law and international treaties to which the Republic of Bulgaria is a party. The Agency organizes and conducts examinations for acquiring qualification of seafarers and issue certificates of competency to seafarers; • Control on the ports and the port operators. The Agency keeps registers of the Bulgarian ships, the seafarers, the ports and the port operators in the Republic of Bulgaria. EAMA is responsible for monitoring the implementation of the relevant security provisions for ships flying Bulgarian flag, ports and port areas in the Republic of Bulgaria. The Agency participates in the activities of the international organizations in the field of shipping. There is a quality management system established within the Agency in compliance with the international standards.