An effective maritime transport system is an important foundation for sustainable development. But it needs proper planning and a solid policy foundation. So, as part of its efforts to help deliver the global Sustainable Development Goals, IMO encourages and assists its Member States to devise national maritime transport policies.
A seminar on maritime transport policy, delivered by IMO and the faculty of the World Maritime University is now an integral part of the curriculum at IMO’s Malta-based International Maritime Law Institute (IMLI) – and the fourth in the series has just been completed (13-15 November).
The seminar highlights the importance of a national maritime transport policy to guide planning, decision making and legislation in the maritime sector. In particular, the importance of maritime transport policy in relation to developing maritime legislation and the close relation between policy and legislation is emphasised. At the end of the seminar the students participate in a practical group exercise, during which they formulate the key aspects of a maritime transport policy for an imaginary state.
By teaching students from developing countries how to formulate their national maritime transport policies, IMO contributes to several of the SDGs.
The seminar is the
result of continuing collaboration between IMO and its two global maritime
training institutions – the World Maritime University and IMLI – which help to
train the future leaders of the maritime world.