“Indispensable Shipping” – Theme for World Maritime Day 2016 Launched

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations with 168 Member States and three Associate Members. IMO’s main task is to develop and maintain a comprehensive regulatory framework for shipping that includes safety, environmental concerns, legal matters, technical co-operation, maritime security and the efficiency of shipping. 

 Every year the International Maritime Organization (IMO) celebrates World Maritime Day (WMD) to focus attention on the importance of shipping safety, maritime security and the marine environment and to emphasize a particular aspect of IMO’s work. The day also features a special message from the IMO’s secretary general, which is backed up by a discussion paper on the selected subject in more detail. The theme for 2015 was “Maritime education and training”, focusing attention on the importance of adequate education and training to ensure a safe, secure and sustainable shipping industry.

World Maritime Day is celebrated in many countries worldwide, including India. Special events and activities are held to celebrate the day, including a symposium/seminar on the theme of the event as conveyed by IMO.

The critical link between shipping and global society is the main focus for this year’s World Maritime Day theme: "Shipping: Indispensable to the world".

The theme for 2016 was launched by IMO Secretary-General as he opened the Sub-Committee meeting on Ship Design and Construction on 18^th January, 2016. This year, WMD will be celebrated at IMO headquarters on Thursday September 29^th.

Since 2005, in addition to the official IMO celebrations held at IMO Headquarters in London there has been a parallel event hosted by a Member State. This year’s annual parallel event will be held in Turkey in November 2016.

The international shipping industry carries around 90% of world trade. Without shipping the import and export of goods on the scale necessary to sustain the modern world would not be possible. Seaborne trade continues to expand, bringing benefits for consumers across the world through competitive freight costs. Hence, shipping is indispensable to world trade and economy.

There are more than 50,000 merchant ships trading internationally, transporting every kind of cargo. The world fleet is registered in over 150 nations and manned by more than a million seafarers of virtually every nationality.

India, as a Member state of IMO and a significant contributor to world shipping and maritime manpower, would continue to support IMO, participate actively in the further growth of shipping and sail along with the theme of WMD, “Indispensable Shipping”