Durrant Pate/Contributor

Jamaica has reiterated its commitment to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), as the country celebrated its re-election to Category C of the powerful IMO Council.

Minister of Science, Energy, Telecommunications and Transport (MSETT) Daryl Vaz gave the commitment while attending the 33rd IMO Assembly at the IMO headquarters in London on the weekend. He highlighted that Jamaica’s maritime development and future growth go hand-in-hand with its support of the IMO.

Jamaica is fully committed to supporting the IMO’s ambitious new decarbonisation goals, with Prime Minister Andrew Holness being a member of the High-Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy, which has pledged to bring a holistic approach to ocean management, balancing the development of the ocean with the needed environmental preservation.

Jamaica’s prominent role in global shipping regulation is an important element of its international leadership and maritime commitment. Jamaica is proud to have been a council member in Category C since 2007 and currently chairs the sub-committee on Implementation of IMO Instruments (III).

Strong Jamaican delegation

Leading Jamaica’s strong delegation to the assembly, Vaz emphasized that Jamaica recognises and fully supports the IMO’s work at all levels of its Government, institutions and agencies. He told the assembly, “there is also unequivocal recognition and consensus in our Government that the IMO is the competent body with the technical responsibility for maritime safety and security, environmentally sound, efficient, and sustainable shipping.”

He underscored the importance of such programmes to Jamaica, which help developing countries, least-developing countries and small island developing states (SIDS), such as the IMO’s Integrated Technical Cooperation Programmes, which is strategically linked to the Sustainable Development Goals, by assisting with capacity development to effectively implement international maritime instruments.

According to Vaz, “Our ability to perform as a responsible and well-regulated maritime nation has benefited from these programmes, which we fully embrace.”

New SAJ president singled out

Minister Vaz noted that also attending the IMO Assembly as part of Jamaica’s delegation was MAJ chairperson, Corah Ann Robertson Sylvester, who he singled out. The CEO of Seaboard Freight and Shipping Jamaica Limited, who is also the newly elected president of the Shipping Association of Jamaica, was recognised as the second woman to hold this post during the association’s 85-year history.

Jamaica has been very active during this 33rd IMO Assembly. On November 20, Jamaica co-hosted a Joint IMO Luncheon with The Netherlands, where the main theme of discussions was women in maritime affairs. Jamaica outlined the IMO’s work and programme related to gender equality and highlighted its commitment to promoting women’s participation in the maritime industry.

This in accordance with the UN Agenda 2030 and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals, in particular Goal 5 to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. Vaz praised outgoing IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim for his eight years of “strong leadership”, including the challenging years of the COVID-19 pandemic, and congratulated Panama’s Aresenio Dominguez Velasco on his appointment as secretary-general.