Council, 118th session, 24-28 July 2017

Flame-defying maritime pilots recognized with IMO bravery accolade

Two members of the Houston Pilots in the United States are to receive the 2017 IMO Award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea. The pair will be recognized for their role in averting a major tragedy when the ship they were piloting broke down and burst into flames after colliding with mooring dolphins.

Despite being surrounded by a towering wall of burning fuel for nearly 90 minutes, pilots Captain Michael G. McGee and Captain Michael C. Phillips showed decisiveness, dedication and ship-handling expertise. As a result of their courageous actions, no lives were lost, serious damage to pier structures and petro-chemical facilities were prevented and a major marine pollution incident was avoided.

Captain McGee and Captain Phillips were nominated by the International Maritime Pilots' Association (IMPA). The Award was decided by a Panel of Judges and endorsed by the IMO Council.

The 2017 IMO Award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea will be presented during a ceremony to be held during the 30th session of the IMO Assembly in November.

Of a total of 33 nominations, received from 16 Member States and 5 non-governmental organizations, a further three will receive Certificates of Commendation and five will receive Letters of Commendation.

International Maritime Prize for 2016 goes to Koji Sekimizu, former IMO Secretary-General

The prestigious International Maritime Prize for 2016 is to be awarded to former Secretary General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), Mr. Koji Sekimizu, for his contribution to the work of IMO over many years.

The Council unanimously decided to award the Prize to Mr. Sekimizu, IMO Secretary-General Emeritus, in recognition of his invaluable contribution to the work and objectives of the Organization and the international maritime community as a whole. Mr. Sekimizu held a long and distinguished career with the Organization, culminating in his four-year stewardship as Secretary-General from 2012 to 2016.

WMU charter updated 

The Council approved amendments to the Charter of the World Maritime University (WMU),to reflect the academic institute’s changing role since it was established by IMO in 1983 as an international centre of excellence for the advancement of maritime education, research and study, including capacity building, in particular for developing countries. The amendments will be submitted to the IMO Assembly for adoption and entry into force on 1 January 2018.

WMU today has expanded the scope of its educational and research programmes to encompass ocean studies, external programmes and distance learning including e-learning. WMU is cooperating with the International Maritime Law Institute (IMLI), academic institutions and other partners in furthering the objectives of the University.

Applications for consultative status

The Council considered new applications for consultative status by NGOs and decided to grant consultative status to the Active Shipbuilding Experts' Federation (ASEF) and The Pew Charitable Trusts (Pew). The decision of the Council is subject to final approval by the IMO Assembly.