A large section of the Vjosa River in the south of Albania between Permet and Berat is under threat from exploration for oil. Earlier this week, Exit published videos and images of a helicopter circling overhead and dozens of trucks, bearing the name GEOTEC Spa working on a site just meters from the Vjosa River in Permet, otherwise known as “Block 4”. Calls to GEOTEC revealed no information as a representative said she was unable to give out any information. But following the publication of the article, Shell Upstream Albania, reached out to Exit and confirmed that they had contracted work to GEOTEC. When asked what work they were doing there, they stated: “From April to June 2021, Shell will conduct a geophysical survey. The geophysical survey is being performed by Geotec S.p.A on behalf of Shell in Albania. They are a specialized company on geophysical surveys and have conducted such similar work also in Italy, Greece, etc. and previously, in 2019, in block 2/3.” They confirmed that a geophysical survey is “used to photograph the subsurface with the objective of understanding whether there is oil and gas potential in the area.”They noted that they have defined a “500m wide corridor” to provide “flexibility” for cultural or natural monuments. Yet, they said that the area being surveyed includes parts of the Vjosa River. Shell also said they have “talked extensively with communities, local authorities, and stakeholders in the area” and “continue to be in daily contact with them”. Exit spoke to local residents from Kelcyre and Permet who are adamant they do not want any oil exploration in the area and have made this very clear to Shell. Elona, who declined to use her last name due to fear it could impact her business, told Exit: “We don’t want oil exploration here. The future is tourism.” When asked about whether Shell had dialogue with her and others, she said: “We said no 1.5 years ago when they came to ask. No one wanted them here. Now they came back as they didn’t listen to us. We do not want them here.” Local residents shared pictures of some of the work already being carried out in the Kelcyre region. They show machinery littering the countryside, spray paint on fauna, and plastic left behind. What appears to be holes in the ground, surrounded by churned-up mud are also visible. In 2018, Shell signed a contract with the government to allow exploration in this part of the country, otherwise known as Block 4. This includes large swathes of the Vjosa River, Europe’s last wild river, and the subject of an international campaign to designate it as a National Park. The campaign including local and international NGOs, clothing company Patagonia, and actor Leonardo di Caprio was started after a number of hydropower plants were planned along it. Prime Minister Edi Rama has designated some parts of the river as Protected Areas and said “the story is over“, falling short of giving it full protection through National Park status. The 2018 contract with Shell and the possibility of oil is perhaps the reason he has refused to designate it as such. Surveys show that 94% of Albanians want the Vjosa River to be designated as a National Park. The Vjosa is one of the last remaining untouched and unspoiled ‘wild rivers’ in Europe. It is widely recognized as having one of the most prominent and important ecosystems in the region, if not the world, and is home to a number of protected and rare species. https://exit.al/en/2021/04/24/vjosa-river-being-explored-for-oil-residents-we-dont-want-them-here/

For several days, residents in Permet have noticed a helicopter flying overhead and dozens of trucks bearing GEOTEC Spa on the side. Today, an Exit journalist visited the site to find out more. What we discovered was a number of vehicles parked next to the Vjosa River. At this same point, helicopters were landing and taking off throughout the day. When Exit tried to get nearer the site, the journalist was asked to leave. Exit called GEOTEC’s Albanian office to ask for information on what work was being conducted. After being on hold for some moments, the representative said: “We are not authorized to give that information.” When Exit asked if they were looking for oil or if they were planning on drilling, they repeated the above sentence. Exit has reached out to their office in Italy as well as the Municipality of Permet to ask for further information on the project. According to their company profile: “GEOTEC specializes in onshore seismic acquisition for geophysical research and geological knowledge of the subsurface for oil and gas exploration and scientific purposes. Geotec S.p.A. is a national leader when carrying out geophysical surveys using the 2D/3D seismic reflection method especially in mountain and very difficult areas where helicopter support is necessary.” The Vjosa River has been a controversial topic in recent years as activists both locally and internationally have called for the entire river to be designated as a National Park. This would prevent it from being developed, destroyed, or interfered with by way of hydropower plants and similar. Prime Minister Edi Rama has refused to designate it as such, instead, giving some parts of it Protected Area Status. While this offers the river some protection, it does not prevent HPPs from being built, nor does it stretch to this part of Permet. https://exit.al/en/2021/04/22/mining-and-drilling-company-spotted-surveying-banks-of-vjosa-river-in-permet/

The Port of Durres has joined the European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO) as an observer member. The port accounts for some 40% of international freight traffic and is the main maritime hub in the country. The ESPO is a representative body of port authorities, associations, administrations, and reports from member states of the European Union and Norway. It includes non-EU members under observer status. It represents more than 98% of all ports in the EU, totaling some 500 locations. ESPO’s chair, Annaleena Makila welcomed the news with a statement to the media: “We are very delighted to welcome Durrës Port Authority as an observer member in ESPO. With this new observer membership, ESPO is again strengthening its presence in the Med and Adriatic. I am confident that Port of Durrës’s membership of ESPO will further strengthen the already good relations between the port and many ESPO members, and since Albania is now clearly on its way to accession to the EU, we are very happy to welcome Albania’s premier port in the ESPO family.” Pirro Vengu, the CEO of the Durres Port Authority added: “The Port of Durrës is honored to join ESPO as an observer member. As Albania and the EU are ready to commence accession talks, our cooperation is all the more important. We are committed to becoming an active partner of the ESPO network and count on its unparalleled expertise to help us improve standards of operation, port governance and strengthen the Albanian maritime sector as a whole.” Secretary-General of ESPO, Isabelle Ryckbost said they are working with the Port of Durres to help them prepare to meet EU policies and to exchange good practices and challenges. https://exit.al/en/2021/04/17/145643/