Whats New 2019
Cooperation for oil spill preparedness in west, central and southern Africa
Major oil spills today are rare and oil tanker accidents have reduced. But coastal nations need to be prepared in case of emergency. In order to supplement national capacity, bi-lateral, multi-lateral and international cooperation and assistance in spill preparedness and response is crucial. This was highlighted during the eighth Regional Conference of the Global Initiative for West, Central and Southern Africa (GI WACAF), in Cape Town, South Africa (28-31 October). more...
Global biodiversity project passes new milestones
Marine biodiversity is under threat from invasive aquatic species, but
IMO is leading a major global project to combat that threat and find solutions
to this major problem. And that project has just passed two major milestones as
two more countries, Indonesia and Mexico, have formed their national task force
to take part in the initiative. The project, GloFouling Partnerships, is a joint initiative between
the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the United Nations Development Programme
(UNDP) and IMO. more...
Training towards a sustainable Blue Economy for Africa
Placing maritime activity at the
heart of national development plans in Africa will help deliver the Sustainable
Development Goals, which is a key
strategic direction for IMO. A recent IMO training activity in Nairobi, Kenya
is helping to do just that. With 38 of 54 African countries being coastal States – and
more than 90% of Africa’s imports and exports being transported by sea,
Africa’s future depends on healthy oceans and a sustainable Blue Economy. This
inclusive, clean and green approach to harnessing maritime resources is central
to a new training course being developed in Kenya with support from IMO. more...
Protecting maritime communications
Terrestrial and
satellite radiocommunications are essential for routine communications and
navigation and for ensuring the effective operation of the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS), to protect lives at sea. IMO is at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-19), in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, (28 October - 22 November) with the message that the integrity of maritime radiocommunication services needs to be protected. more...
Expanding communication tools for Mediterranean pollution incidents
Pollution response can be faster and more effective when there is an established emergency communications and emergency system. Mediterranean Countries recently met at a regional workshop held in Brussels, Belgium (22-23 October), to explore the set-up of a common emergency communication system for marine pollution incidents that connects the entire Mediterranean region. During the event, representatives from 12 Mediterranean countries received training in the European Union's Common Emergency Communication and Information System for Marine Pollution from ships and off-shore units (CECIS). more...
Ban Ki-moon: all hands on deck for UN SDGs and climate action
Beating climate change and achieving the targets set in the United Nations Sustainable Development Agenda are the two defining challenges of our time, according to former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who warned against rising unilateralism. "In times of increasing discord, I believe that achieving the UN SDGS and meeting the Paris Climate Change Agreement are two efforts that should unite all nations, all industry and all civil society," Mr. Ban said, addressing an audience of representatives of IMO Member States, NGOs and IMO staff at IMO Headquarters in London (28 October). Click for photos. more...
Joining forces to combat IUU fishing
Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing refers to fishing which is carried out without proper authorization. This can undermine national, regional and global efforts to conserve and manage fish stocks and result in poor safety and working conditions for fishers. Tackling the issue requires collaboration by all stakeholders. A Joint Working Group of three UN agencies – the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) - met in Torremolinos, Spain, to address IUU fishing (23-25 October). more...
Spotlight on extreme maritime weather
An IMO-World Meteorological Organization symposium on extreme maritime weather has highlighted the need for the gap to be closed between met-ocean (meteorology and oceanography) information providers and the users of this information in the maritime industry. The first ‘Symposium on Extreme Maritime Weather: Towards Safety of Life at Sea and a Sustainable Blue Economy’, held at IMO Headquarters, London (23-25 October) brought together over 200 stakeholders from across the shipping sector. more...
Spain, IMO sign MoU to promote technical assistance
Spain and IMO have signed a Memorandum of Understanding on technical cooperation activities to support capacity-building activities in English and Spanish-speaking countries. These activities will support implementation of IMO regulations, raise awareness of IMO's mandate and contribute to sustainable maritime transport and the implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. more...