Jamaica on Thursday joined in commemorating World Maritime Day
/ Our Today
administrator
As Jamaica joined the world in commemorating yesterday (September 29), as World Maritime Day, local maritime officials are turning the spot light on the importance of people in the maritime space.
The local officials are underscoring the extent to which people play a central role in the development of new technologies to help shipping meet its environmental goals and protect the marine environment. As the maritime community comes together to celebrate World Maritime Day, with its theme of New Technologies for Greener Shipping, Jamaica’s Transport Ministry and Maritime Authority of Jamaica (MAJ) have stressed the importance of ensuring people are also at the heart of maritime technological advances.
Audley Shaw, minister of transport and mining, pledged that “we will leave no one behind” as he endorsed the green transition of the maritime sector into a sustainable future. In his World Maritime Day message, Shaw highlighted that, as a small island developing state, the ocean is an invaluable resource for Jamaica and, in Jamaica’s case, this area is 23 times the country’s land mass.
“In an era where technology is the driving force behind many economies and sectors, the maritime sector is no different, and we must develop and implement new technology to work toward our goals of having greener, safer and more sustainable maritime spaces.”
Audley Shaw, minister of transport and mining
As such, it is therefore imperative that we support and implement mitigation strategies to reduce the maritime transport carbon footprint.
He explained that, “in an era where technology is the driving force behind many economies and sectors, the maritime sector is no different, and we must develop and implement new technology to work toward our goals of having greener, safer and more sustainable maritime spaces”.
Addressing the World Maritime Day theme, MAJ boss Rear Admiral (Ret’d) Peter Brady observed that, ”while the digitalisation and automation of shipping processes can help shipping meet its environmental targets, including reducing harmful emissions and preserving biodiversity, we must not forget that seafarers need support to embrace change and learn new skills”.
He commented that shipping must “ensure people are central to our focus as we work towards achieving a sustainable maritime sector and protecting our marine environment for generations to come”.
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