From Jamaica Gleaner

Jamaica has re-established its position at the heart of international maritime rule-making following its election to the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Council on December 1 during the IMO 30th General Assembly meeting.

Jamaica was elected Category C Council member and will serve for the 2018-2019 biennium.

Speaking at the IMO’s 30th Assembly meeting in London, Transport Minister Mike Henry said: “As a seafarer supply country, the Government is committed to the training, as well as the right of seafarers to decent living and working conditions, and in keeping with our commitment, we acceded to the Maritime Labour Con-vention, 2006.”

Rear Admiral (Ret’d) Peter Brady, director general of the Maritime Authority of Jamaica, said of the result: “I am delighted Jamaica has been elected to Category C of the council with a representative voice for all regulatory issues.”

Brady added: “This is very important for Jamaica to be elected to the council as a responsible maritime nation that represents not only our own interests, but also those of other Caribbean states, small island developing states, and least developed countries, as we have similar economic profiles and maritime issues.”

LEADERS IN THE CARIBBEAN

Jamaica was elected, having regard to its leadership in the Caribbean in the areas of maritime administration, training and port related developments and its contribution to the work of the IMO.

Currently, Brady serves as vice-chairman of the board of governors of the World Maritime University in Malmo, Sweden, and Deputy Director General of the MAJ Claudia Grant has been elected vice-chairman of the Subcommittee on Implementation of IMO Instruments.

Jamaica has signed all major conventions addressing safety, security and marine pollution prevention, and in September of this year acceded to the Ballast Water Management Convention.

The Maritime Authority of Jamaica implements those conventions by ensuring that ships which call at our ports are seaworthy and do not compromise our port infrastructure and marine environment, while ensuring that vessels on the Jamaica Ship Registry comply with the highest international maritime standards.

The country is one of 10 Lead Pilot Countries and the only state in the Caribbean that has been selected by the IMO to participate in its global project to reduce greenhouse gases emissions from ships and ports, known as GloMEEP.

IMAGE: Mike Henry

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