Countries in the North-Eastern Atlantic, Mediterranean and Connected Seas (the NEAM region) participated in NEAMWave21 tsunami exercise on 8-10 March 2021. NEAMWave21 has been the fourth such international exercise in this region after NEAMWave12 (2012), NEAMWave14 (2014), NEAMWave17 (2017). This important exercise tested the current procedures of the regional Tsunami Warning System and provided the opportunity to identify operational strengths and weaknesses in each country. Three tsunami exercise scenarios were used - one for each day -prepared by the five Tsunami Service Providers of the region (KOERI from Turkey; NOA from Greece; INGV from Italy; CENALT from France; IPMA from Portugal). The tsunami warning messages were broadcast in real-time by the Tsunami Service Providers to the subscribers to the exercise.

The exercise was coordinated by the UNESCO/IOC Intergovernmental Coordination Group for Tsunami and Other Coastal Hazards Warning System for the North-eastern Atlantic, Mediterranean and Connected Seas (ICG/NEAMTWS). The European Commission participated, with JRC and DG ECHO, in the exercise. The JRC supported the Tsunami Last Mile 2 project partners from Malta to perform a Command Post Exercise on 9 March, which involved many local stakeholders. On 10 March, DG ECHO simulated the activation of the Union Civil Protection Mechanism in support of the affected countries. Finland, France, Italy, Malta, Portugal and Spain actively participated in this simulation.