IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim has given keynote addresses to two international conventions during an official visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK). At the 23rd International Maritime Pilots’ Association Congress (26 September), Mr Lim told pilots that their technical input on a wide range of issues was a valuable contribution to the work of IMO. Looking ahead, he said that existing and emerging technology is key to enhancing on-board decision making, but cannot replace the human element.
Later that day Mr Lim spoke at the Sustainable Ocean Initiative meeting, organized by the Convention on Biological Diversity. Mr Lim told delegates that the success and growth of the maritime sector could actually threaten the integrity of the oceans, and praised the Aichi Biodiversity Targets as a major set of conservation benchmarks. He highlighted how IMO’s work in both the regulatory arena and in terms of technical cooperation and capacity building, makes a significant contribution in the global efforts to combat environmental degradation.