Bulgarian Ports
Infrastructure Company

I am grateful to the Bulgarian Ports Infrastructure Company (BPI Co.) for the excellent cooperation in the 11 years, during which the Company has been the member of the International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA), commented the Secretary General Francis Zachariae, who opened the international conference for the World Marine Aids to Navigation Day (WAtoN Day) on 1 July 2022 in Burgas. He expressed his satisfaction with the fact that after 2 years of extraordinary measures due to the pandemic, the WAtoN Day was finally taking place with physical attendance, and particularly in Bulgaria.

The conference, which was part of the prestigious event, gathered together marine experts from the UK, Belgium, Spain, France, Iceland, Republic of Korea, etc. at the International Congress Center Burgas. The event included an official ceremony for the awarding of the Lighthouse of the Year award. It was awarded to the Homigot Lighthouse in Pohang, with a total height of 26,4 meters, making it the tallest lighthouse in the Republic of Korea.

Participants were able to get acquainted with the exciting history of the St. Anastasia Island and to visit the local lighthouse. The functionalities of the navigation control system in the south section of the Bulgarian part of the Black Sea, the hub of which is the Coastal Center for Vessel Traffic Management and Information Services Burgas – operated by BPI Co. 

The mission of the WAtoN Day is to improve public awareness, regarding the navigation aids. The decision that the celebration takes place on July 1 was made in the Republic of Korea on 2018 during IALA’s General Assembly. Bulgaria has been an active member of the IALA on a national level for many years, being represented there by BPI Co., which takes part in a number of technical committees and in the work on the drafting of modern standards, recommendations and guidelines in the areas of navigation safety. The opportunity to host WAtoN Day is a major recognition of Company’s efforts in the area of adoption and implementation of innovative scientific and technical achievements in the area of water transport.