Secretary General Assures IMO’s Support For Development Of Maritime Sector In Pakistan

KARACHI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 13th Sep, 2024) The Secretary General International Maritime Organization (IMO) Arsenio Antonio Dominguez Velasco stressing on compliance of UN conventions on Friday assured continued support of IMO to Pakistan through development projects and technical cooperation for capacity building and efficiency enhancement of the maritime sector in the country.

He was addressing the inaugural session of International Maritime Sustainability Exhibition and Conference IMSEC 2024 here. The 3-day long IMSEC 2024 is being held under the theme “Catalyzing Pakistan’s Maritime Transformation” as part of World Maritime Week celebrations.

The event was attended by Federal Minster for Maritime Affairs Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh, Sindh Chief Minster Syed Murad Ali Shah, Secretary Maritime Zafar Shah, DG Shipping Alia Shahid, Commandant Pakistan Marine academy Commodore Rizwan Munawar and Chairmen of KPT, Port Qasim, PNSC, Gwadar Ports as well as diplomates of different countries and other stakeholders of the maritime sector.

The secretary General IMO, addressing on the occasion, emphasized the significance of leveraging the technology advancement and implementation on international conventions for promotion of blue economy, conservation of maritime echo system and enhancing ports and shipping efficiencies.

He said that digitization and automation help enhancing the efficiency of ports and shipping and it results into increased volume of international trade.

He said that IMO was an international organization with 176 members who share the same goals and work in coordination to achieve the sustainable development goals (SDGs) while sharing of experiences and the best practices among the member states provides the opportunities of enhancing efficiencies and framing strategies to deal with encountered challenges.

Emphasizing the importance of conservation of marine echo system by addressing the major environmental concerns for sustainability of shipping he said that IMO has framed a comprehensive strategy for avoiding plastic pollution from ships and land and measures were underway by taking all the stakeholder on board for achieving the set goals.

To address the issue of shortage of qualified sea farers across the globe, IMO was working to enhance the training opportunities of qualified and skilled labour force and Pakistan could also benefit from it as there were vast employment opportunities in the sector, he said and also stressed on encouraging the women to join the maritime sector.

The Secretary General also offered cooperation to Pakistan for framing national strategy and action plan for sustainable development of the maritime sector. Pakistan is a leading country in ship breaking and recycling and IMO was ready to extend its cooperation for further development of the sector in a sustainable and environment friendly manner with focus on enhanced safety, he further stated.

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, while addressing the ceremony, emphasized the importance of protecting marine ecosystems by addressing the serious challenges of marine pollution and climate change and said "We are dedicated to responsibly managing our marine resources, promoting sustainable fishing practices, and ensuring that the development of our maritime sector aligns with the principles of environmental sustainability.”

The CM while highlighting the strategic geographical position of Pakistan that enables the country to serve as a vital gateway connecting Central Asia and the middle East with the rest of the world, said that Pakistan has made significant strides in developing its port infrastructure in recent years and it was fully committed to adhering to the highest standards set by the IMO for maritime safety, security, and environmental protection.

He said that the Government of Pakistan was actively involved in countering piracy and other maritime threats to safeguard the safety of vessels passing through our waters and also taking proactive steps to promote a sustainable blue economy.

Pakistan foresees numerous opportunities for collaboration with the IMO, Murad Shah said and added that Pakistan was eager to participate in technical cooperation and joint initiatives aimed at strengthening our maritime capabilities. “These collaborations will further bolster our maritime sector and contribute to the global maritime community,” he added.

Sindh CM mentioned Pakistan’s candidacy for the IMO Council for the term 2026-27 and said “We seek your support in this endeavour, and I assure you that Pakistan is committed to actively contributing to the IMO’s mission and goals, thus reaffirming our dedication to the maritime industry.”

Additional Secretary Maritime Affairs Umar Zafar, in his welcome address, said that Pakistan being a responsible maritime nation was well aware of obligations under international conventions, charters and customs regulations. We want to establish and continue cooperation in all the relevant matters with the IMO for mutual benefit, he added.

Later, the Secretary General IMO, flanked by federal maritime minister, Sindh CM and other dignitaries cut the cake to mark World Maritime Week celebrations. They also performed ribbon cutting to formally open the exhibition and visited different stalls set up by different service providers and stakeholders of ports and shipping industry.