Kick-off meeting: Enhancing Cross-Border Search and Rescue
17/03/2026
On February 18, 2026, the AdriaSAR project officially entered its operational phase with an online Kick-off Meeting that gathered all project’s partner to establish the strategic and technical foundations for the next 18 months. This initiative, co-funded by the European Union through the Interreg Italy-Croatia Programme, is dedicated to enhancing maritime safety by reducing cross-border Search and Rescue (SAR) coordination delays by an ambitious target of 20% through digital innovation and the harmonization of cross-border operational frameworks.
The meeting opened with institutional greetings from Mrs. Maria Antonietta Bufano and Mr. Fabio Tarantino, respectively municipal councillor and mayor of Martano (the project's Lead Partner), both of whom emphasized the project's vital role in fostering Adriatic integration and regional resilience.
The partnership, which includes the Municipality of Martano, CNA Lecce, Ston Municipality, and the Development Agency of Ston, utilized the session to present their territorial assets and technical expertise. A significant portion of the discussion was dedicated to the core project outputs, specifically the development of an open-source digital SAR platform and the harmonization of cross-border operational frameworks. To achieve these goals, the consortium confirmed a rigorous plan consisting of several main activities, including the delivery of a comprehensive barrier analysis report by the end of the sixth month, which will be supported by expert meetings and stakeholder workshops across both Italy and Croatia.
Looking ahead, the project will focus on the practical application of its digital solutions through joint training sessions for SAR personnel and the execution of pilot exercises.
Operational decisions made during the meeting included the formation of a Steering Committee to oversee project’s progress and the scheduling of initial stakeholder consultations.
Four workshops are already scheduled for March, with the participation of the Municipality of Ston in those to be held in Italy. Therefore, the partnership will meet between March 20th and 30th, when we would like to hold the workshops, and then between April 15th and 20th in Ston for the first Steering Committee.
While the current session was held virtually, the partners expressed a strong commitment to ongoing collaboration and planning reciprocal visits to ensure the successful implementation of activities and the final evaluation of the project’s impact.