The participants of the session were welcomed by Eva Bullig-Schröter, Member of the Parliament, Chairperson of the Committee on Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, and Monika Brench-Moritz, President of BSH. The participants concluded that never before the need for and interest in IOC was so high as today.

The meeting was followed by a tour of the Kiel exhibit on ocean science which is a spectacular demonstration of the way of bringing science to non scientist in a meaningful way.

Visit to Germany was also used as an opportunity for meeting the Members of the national IOC Committee at which many issues on cooperation between Germany and IOC were discussed. Among other things it was suggested that IOC should lead in the formulation of what would be needed to provide adequate international ocean observation services, and that Germany would be willing to assist in this effort.