The World Maritime theme for 2022 – ‘New technologies for greener shipping’ -reflects the need to support a green transition of the maritime sector into a sustainable future, while leaving no one behind. The theme provides an opportunity to focus on the importance of a sustainable maritime sector and the need to build back better and greener in a post pandemic world.

Join us in celebrating World Maritime Day 2022. Our theme for the year is “New technologies for greener shipping”.

Sustainable maritime transport and greener shipping

The imperative of maritime transport to support global sustainability is clear. Safe, secure, energy-efficient, affordable, reliable, low-carbon, climate-resilient and rule-based maritime transport systems contribute to achieving economically efficient, socially equitable and environmentally sound development.
The ongoing implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDGs 13 (Climate Action), 14 (Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development); 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure) and 17 (Partnerships for the Goals), highlight the importance of partnerships and implementation to achieve these goals.
To support the sustainable development agenda, maritime transport will need to fully integrate economic, social and environmental sustainability considerations into relevant planning processes, policies and investment decisions. Greener shipping is central to this aim.

Message from IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim

IMO has chosen to make 2021 a year of action for seafarers, who are facing unprecedented hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic, despite their vital role as key workers for global supply chains.

The World Maritime Theme for 2021, “Seafarers: at the core of shipping’s future” seeks to increase the visibility of seafarers by drawing attention to the invaluable role they play now and will continue to play in the future. 

The focus on seafarers comes as the COVID-19 pandemic has placed extraordinary demands on seafarers, with hundreds of thousands of men and women stranded on ships for months beyond their original contracts, unable to be repatriated due to national travel restrictions. A similar number of seafarers are unable to join ships and earn a living. This crew change crisis, which has been ongoing for nearly a year, is a humanitarian emergency that threatens the safety of shipping (read more here).

Throughout the year, the World Maritime Theme will also put the spotlight on other issues related to the human element of shipping, including the safety and security of life on board ships, seafarers’ well-being, and the importance of ensuring an appropriately trained and qualified workforce, ready to meet the challenges and opportunities of digitalization and automation. 

Message from IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim

Launching the World Maritime theme, IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim said more Governments must step up to end the crew change crisis (click here for the full text).

WORLD MARITIME DAY, MYANMAR EVENT AGENDA

“WORLD MARITIME DAY – 2021”

Theme: “Seafarers: at the core of shipping’s future”

Online Event                                 11:00 AM, 30 SEPTEMBER 2021

     Provisional Agenda

1. Introduction IMO and history of World Maritime sDay
2. Proclamation of the Opening of the Ceremony
3. Opening Address

ADMIRAL TIN AUNG SAN,   

Union Minister for Transport and Communications

• World Maritime Day 2021 – Video Message of IMO Secretary-General

Mr. Kitack Lim

IMO Secretary-General

• Presentation on Myanmar Maritime Activities
• Proclamation of the Closing of the Ceremony

World Maritime Day memorable

The IMO intends to light up the IMO building, in particular the Seafarer Memorial outside the IMO Headquarters in London, in the IMO/maritime blue colour on every World Maritime Day from now on, beginning with this yearʹs celebration on 30 September 2021. 

Therefore, Myanmar join to illuminate with colorful light at the DMA’s Head Office building, MPA’s Head Office building and Vessels berthed in port terminals to mark World Maritime Day on 30 September 2021.

“Sustainable shipping for a sustainable planet” is the World Maritime theme for 2020. This will provide an opportunity to raise awareness of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and showcase the work that the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and its Member States are undertaking to achieve the targets.

Sustainable shipping for a sustainable planet

​The theme for this year is “Sustainable shipping for a sustainable planet,” which provides an excellent opportunity to raise awareness of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and to showcase the work that the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and its Member States are undertaking to achieve the targets. The theme will provide opportunities for leaders from various sectors, including shipping, to both reflect on the work done and the urgent steps they further plan towards a sustainable future.
The shipping industry, with the support of the IMO regulatory framework, has already started the transition towards this sustainable future. IMO has  adopted and will continue to develop measures to cut greenhouse gas emissions, reduce the sulphur content of ships’ fuel oil, implement the Ballast Water Management Convention, protect the polar regions, reduce marine litter, improve the efficiency of shipping through the electronic exchange of information, meet the challenges of the digitalization of shipping and enhance the participation of women in the maritime community.

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the professionalism and sacrifice of the two million seafarers who serve on the world’s merchant fleet. Shipping has continued to transport more than 80% of world trade, including vital medical supplies, food and other basic goods that are critical for the COVID-19 response and recovery – but hundreds of thousands of seafarers face a humanitarian crisis as they have been stranded at sea, unable to get off the ships they operate with contracts extended by many months. This needs to be addressed urgently, through Governments designating seafarers as essential workers and ensuring safe crew changes can take place.

This year’s World Maritime Day will be celebrated on 25 September 2020 in the form of an online event, due to social distancing measures caused by the pandemic.” Download the flyer here or by clicking on the image below. 

National awarness workshop on the implementation of
the International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code
and the International Maritime Solid Bulk Cargoes (IMSBC) Code
Yangon, Myanmar, 12 to 16 November 2019

INTRODUCTION
1. A National awarness workshop on the implementation of the International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code and the International Maritime Solid Bulk Cargoes (IMSBC) Code will be held in Yangon, Myanmar, 12 to 16 November 2019.
2. The activity is organized within the framework of the Under IMO’s Integrated Technical Cooperation Programme (ITCP) and in collaboration with the Department of Marine Administration of Myanmar.
3. This capacity building programme aims at providing training to shore-side personnel involved in the management of dangerous goods in packaged form and solid bulk cargoes in all their various aspects (e.g. correct identification, classification, packing, labelling, handling, storage, loading, stowage, unloading and transport), which will enable them to improve their understanding of the IMDG and IMSBC Codes as well as enhance implementation and good practice when dealing with these mandatory international instruments.

PARTICIPANTS’ PROFILE AND NOMINATIONS
4. The target audience for the training course should be shore-side personnel engaged in the transport of dangerous goods and/or solid bulk cargoes intended to be transported by sea. It would be appreciated if, when nominating participants for this activity, the technical expertise profile indicated below was observed:
Shore-based personnel such as those who:
– classify dangerous goods and identify proper shipping names of dangerous goods;
– pack dangerous goods;
– mark, label or placard dangerous goods;
– load/unload Cargo Transport Units;
– prepare transport documents for dangerous goods;
– offer dangerous goods for transport;
– accept dangerous goods for transport;
– handle dangerous goods in transport;
– prepare dangerous goods loading/stowage plans;
– load/unload dangerous goods into/from ships;
– carry dangerous goods in transport;
– enforce, survey or inspect compliance with applicable rules and regulations; or
– are otherwise involved in the transport of dangerous goods as determined by the competent authority.

COURSE DATE AND VENUE
12 –  16 November 2019
(Tuesday to Saturday from 9 am – 5 pm)
Park Royal Hotel , Yangon, Myanmar

1      Summary

MEPSEAS is assisting participating developing countries address high-priority marine environment issues related to ships and shipping – in particular, implementing four of IMO’s key international environmental conventions.

The four-year project, titled ‘Marine Environment Protection for Southeast Asia Seas (MEPSEAS)’, will focus on enhancing the countries’ capacity to implement a number of high-priority marine environment conventions, including the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL); the Anti-Fouling Systems Convention; the London dumping of wastes convention and protocol; and the Ballast Water Management Convention.

Under the agreement, Norad will make available some USD2 million via contributions to IMO’s Integrated Technical Cooperation Programme. The seven ASEAN countries involved will be Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.

The project will build on a previous IMO-Norad project which directly led to the six countries (except Myanmar) concerned making substantial progress in terms of implementation and/or ratification of IMO environmental treaties. For countries which have acceded to the relevant treaties, the new MEPSEAS project will allow them to focus on effective implementation.

1.1   Background

MEPSEAS is engaging regional, national and local partners, representing government, industry and NGOs. Greater participation by women is also being targeted – through partnering with the IMO programme on Integration of Women in Maritime Sector.

South-East Asia is dominated by the sea. With extensive coastlines and about 30% of the world’s sea space under their jurisdictions, the countries of the ASEAN region have a vital influence on the health of the oceans.

The region’s coastal and marine ecosystems are among the world’s richest and most productive, with vast social and economic importance. Yet the pressure from increased shipping activity is immense – and growing.

MEPSEAS is assisting participating developing countries address high-priority marine environment issues related to ships and shipping – in particular, implementing four of IMO’s key international environmental conventions.

Myanmar has a large marine territory of important coastal and marine ecosystems. It includes the Myeik Archipelago, which is made up of hundreds of islands.

Maritime transportation serves more than 80% of the nation’s trade and the country has developed a pool of seafarers that are deployed on board ships engaged in international voyages across the world.

The fisheries sector is the second largest food producing sector – a major source of food and employment. The seafood sector alone directly employs 3-4 million people and focuses primarily on the export market.

Myanmar will participate in this project to implement MARPOL Convention that has been ratified and to ratify Ballast Water Management (BWM) Convention/Anti-Fouling Systems (AFS) Convention.

2      Objectives

To build capacity to implement national-level legislation and strategies.

2.1   Goal

To “conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development” is a key target of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 14). MEPSEAS draws on the capacity and expertise already developed in the foundation project to intensify momentum towards this vital objective.

2.2   Target Area & Beneficiaries

The four-year project- Myanmar will work to enhance the countries’ capacity to implement high-priority marine environment conventions, including the Ballast Water Management Convention, the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, and the Anti-Fouling Systems Convention.

Attended by nominated officials, this national delivery will assist in the implementation phase of the MARPOL, particularly Annex V, and the Ballast Water Management Convention (BWM). 

3      Course Date and Venue

30th September – 4th October 2019
(Monday to Friday from 10 am – 5 pm)
Wyndham Grand Yangon Hotel, Yangon, Myanmar