The Secretary-General, International Maritime Organisation (IMO), Mr. Kitack Lim, has highlighted the need for ‘innovation’ and ‘inclusivity’ as shipping voyages to a decarbonized future, in which digitalization and automation will play a key role.
In his welcome address at the World Maritime Day Parallel Event (WMDPE) held in Durban South Africa from 12 to 14 October 2022, Lim said after a two-year pause in parallel events due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is an enormous pleasure to welcome participants to Durban.
He explained that the Parallel Event was instituted to provide an opportunity to take the World Maritime theme “on the road” and it is undoubtedly one of the most important maritime events, worldwide.”
“Innovation is fundamental to the maritime industry’s successful energy transition. It requires new technologies, renewable alternative fuels and infrastructure to support low- and zero-carbon shipping, along with new financial solutions to support all those practical aspects,” he added.
Since 2005, in addition to the official IMO celebrations held at IMO Headquarters in London, there has been a Parallel Event hosted by a Member State.
Meanwhile, the Director General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Bashir Jamoh OFR, has called for maritime nations to actualize the adoption of modern technology as a means of attaining cleaner and greener shipping in line with this year’s World Maritime Day commemoration theme.
Dr Jamoh, who stated this while speaking on the sidelines of the event also stated that Nigeria would seek to contribute to the global push towards reducing emissions from shipping activities.
A statement issued by NIMASA quoted Jamoh as saying: “The theme of this year’s event “New technologies for greener shipping” as declared by the IMO calls for the global family of nations to take action on the decarbonisation of shipping and ports through the use of zero or low carbon technologies, fuels and infrastructure. The ultimate goal for Nigeria is to contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions across the globe for sustainable development of our local sector”.
As one of the most important maritime events on a global scale, the WMDPE is a definitive stage for the international community to make concrete contribution and progress on collaboration geared at innovative solutions to address mitigation strategies to reduce the maritime transport carbon footprint.
