IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim has highlighted the Organization’s strong commitment to helping achieve the UN SustainableDevelopment Goals and explained how shipping and ports can play a significant role in helping to create conditions for increased employment, prosperity and stability through the promotion of maritime trade. Mr. Lim was speaking at a seminar as part of celebrations (photos) in Veracruz, Mexico (21-22 August) focused on IMO’s World Maritime Day theme for 2017 –"Connecting Ships, Ports and People".
The Secretary-General also discussed IMO measures to reduce harmful emissions from ships, the management of ballast water and goal-based standards. He was hosted by the Secretary of the Navy (SEMAR), Admiral Commander in Chief Vidal Francisco Soberón Sanz, who introduced the strategy and capabilities of the Mexican Maritime Authority.
The seminar was attended by the maritime authorities of Argentina, Chile, Panama and the United States, as well as representatives from the Tokyo Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control, World Maritime University (WMU) in Sweden, the IMO International Maritime Law Institute (IMLI) in Malta, and various national government ministries.
The celebrations also included an opportunity for participants to observe a search and rescue exercise and to visit Mexico’s Naval Academy.