The Central American Commission for Maritime Transport (COCATRAM), together with the International Maritime Organization (IMO), organized the Advanced Technical Training Workshop on the Implementation of the London Protocol, held from October 19 to 22, 2026, in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. The event was coordinated with the Directorate General of the Merchant Marine (DGMM), the country’s Maritime Authority, which served as the host institution.
The workshop, held within the framework of the IMO’s SMART-C LC/LP project, aimed to strengthen participants’ technical knowledge and practical skills in waste characterization and assessment, with a view to supporting the effective implementation of the London Protocol. The training focused on the scientific and technical requirements for assessing materials proposed for disposal at sea, particularly sediments generated by dredging activities.
During the opening ceremony, Mr. Ítalo Bonilla Mejía, Head of the Maritime and Port Environmental Management Department, representing the Director General of the DGMM, expressed his gratitude for the support provided by the participating organizations, instructors, and international consultants. He reaffirmed the country’s commitment to regional cooperation and capacity-building efforts to prevent pollution and protect the seas.
The program combined theoretical sessions with interactive case studies covering sampling and analysis plans, interpretation of chemical characterization data and toxicity testing, selection of disposal sites, impact hypotheses, monitoring, and permit drafting. Participants also conducted fieldwork involving sediment sampling and core extraction, as well as laboratory demonstrations on sediment sieving and toxicity testing.
Expected outcomes include a better understanding of the technical requirements set out in the London Protocol’s Waste Assessment Framework; increased knowledge of sampling methodologies, laboratory testing, and environmental risk assessment; and the identification of national strengths, gaps, and capacity-development needs in the areas of characterization, monitoring, and permitting.
COCATRAM was represented by Eva Calderón, Coordinator of the Operational Network for Regional Cooperation among Central American Maritime Authorities (ROCRAM-CA), who participated in coordinating and following up on the workshop activities.
