The Project ‘Improving Environmental Monitoring in the Black Sea” (EMBLAS), dedicated to the protection of the Black Sea environment is co-financed by EC and UNDP. Beneficiary countries are Georgia (GE), Russian Federation (RF) and Ukraine (UE). At present, the second phase of the project, the implementation of which started on 1st of April 2014 and will end in 2018, is under realization. The overall objective of the project is to help improve the protection of the Black Sea environment. This objective will be pursued through the implementation of those initiatives that were elaborated and planned during the preparatory phase of this project (EMBLAS-I). The EMBLAS-II project is addressing the overall need for support in protection and restoring the environmental quality and sustainability of the Black Sea. The specific objectives are as follows:
- To improve availability and quality of Black Sea environmental data in line with the MSFD, WFD and Black Sea Strategic Action Plan (2009) needs;
- To improve partner countries' ability to perform marine environmental monitoring at the national level (NBSIEMAP) along MSFD and WFD principles, taking into account the Black Sea Diagnostic Report II recommendations on capacity building.
Two partner organizations from Georgia are participating in the project, in particular – National Environmental Agency (NEA - the leading governmental body ) and Iv. Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University (TSU).
The first oceanographical cruise name is: EU-UNDP Project 'Improving Environmental Monitoring in the Black Sea' (EMBLAS): National Pilot Monitoring Studies (NPMS) and Joint Open Sea Survey (JOSS) in Ukraine and Georgia ; Name of research vessel: R/V Mare Nigrum (“GeoEcoMar”, Romania); Cruise dates: 20 days in the period May 15 – June 15, 2016.

On 27-th of May, in City of Batumi is planned the press conference dedicated to the cruise issues.