MUSCAT – The strategy, which aims to protect the marine environment and ensure safe navigation, is described as a “pioneering step towards cleaner seas and a more sustainable future.”
The strategy outlines several key objectives:
• Protecting the marine environment and enhancing maritime safety.
• Providing resources to manage marine debris.
• Strengthening national efforts and integration between institutions.
• Coordinating roles and implementing an emergency plan to address marine debris in line with national and international frameworks.
According to Omani Maritime Law (Royal Decree No. 19/2023), marine debris refers to: “A ship and its appurtenances that are abandoned, sunk, or grounded in the territorial sea of the Sultanate of Oman or the exclusive economic zone of the Sultanate of Oman, including anything that is or was on board such a ship.”
The measures included in the National Strategy for Marine Debris Management in the Sultanate of Oman include:

1. Establishing a marine debris database and assessing environmental damage.
2. Implementing awareness campaigns for ship owners and operators, marine debris handlers, and maritime industries on the importance of preserving the marine environment.
3. Regulating marine debris removal and disposal operations.
4. Providing the necessary training and technologies for specialists in marine debris management.
5. Cooperating with international organizations concerned with marine debris management and exchanging expertise and technologies in this field.
   Proper regulation of marine debris removal and disposal operations is one of the major challenges facing institutions in the Sultanate of Oman, given the potential environmental and economic impacts of these operations. Therefore, the Sultanate of Oman is working to establish strict standards and controls to regulate operations and ensure their effective implementation, in cooperation and coordination with other relevant authorities and institutions, to enhance the government’s capabilities in this area and to provide the necessary funding to implement the necessary measures.
   Overall, the National Strategy for Marine Debris Management in the Sultanate of Oman is an important step taken by the Sultanate of Oman to maintain a clean and healthy marine environment that meets the requirements of maritime safety and navigation, and to achieve sustainable development in all areas of the maritime sector.