World Maritime Day 2024 - Navigating The Future: Safety First!
On 26 September 2024, World Maritime Day, celebrations are taking place at the headquarters of the International Maritime Organization in London. The theme of this year's World Maritime Day is Navigating The Future: Safety First! Taking part in the event is HM The Rector of Gdynia Maritime University Rector, Professor Adam Weintrit.
The topic of World Maritime Day 2024 is directly connected with the work of IMO on improving safety and the protection of jobs at sea. This is combined with another area of the Organisation's work: the protection of the marine environment, while ensuring that increasing technological development and innovation are considered in the development of regulations.
The theme for this year's event was approved at the 129th session of the IMO Council, following proposals put forward by the Secretary-General. In the opinion of Kitack Lim, the previous Secretary-General of IMO, the proposed slogan will allow IMO to focus on the implementation of safety regulations resulting from the implementation of new technologies, as well as alternative fuels, including agents aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
This is connected with the fact that the IMO aims to both ensure safety at sea and the efficiency of shipping, through improving the flow of international maritime trade so that it may continue to run smoothly and effectively.
The issue of navigation safety has been at the heart of all IMO initiatives since the creation of the organisation in 1948. The regulations concerning safety matters are continuously changing, with additionally required legal practices continuously implemented thanks to the proactive work of the Organisation. It is the task of IMO to foresee changes that will be required in the future as a result of the implementation of new technologies or innovations. An example of this is the organisation's work on developing the MASS (Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships) Code.
2024 marks the 50th anniversary of the implementation of the SOLAS convention in 1974, a key maritime treaty in the regulation of safety at sea.
On the occasion of World Maritime Day 2024, the following message was released by the current Secretary-General of IMO, Arsenio Dominguez:
When we think about safety in maritime, the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) is one of the first things that comes to mind. 2024 marks 50 years since the treaty was adopted. We can be proud of the crucial role this Convention has played in setting international safety standards for ship construction, equipment and operation, preventing maritime disasters and protecting lives.
But we cannot be complacent.
This year's World Maritime Day theme: "Navigating the future: safety first!" calls for a collective effort to ensure we keep pace with the ongoing transformation in shipping.
At IMO, we must ensure the continued development and implementation of the regulatory regime to prioritise safety as we steer towards tomorrow.
I encourage all stakeholders to mark this year's World Maritime Day on 26 September and invite you to join the conversation online using the hashtag #WorldMaritimeDay.
Let us all work to navigate the future with safety first!
The theme of this year's World Maritime Day is strongly connected with the UN Sustainable Development Agenda and selected Sustainable Development Goals.
World Maritime Day was established by the United Nations in 1978, on the 20th anniversary of the convention that appointed the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).
The aim of the event is to highlight the importance of the seas and oceans for our planet and to promote their protection and the sustainable use of maritime resources.