The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has celebrated World Maritime Day 2018 and marked the milestone with the theme ‘IMO 70: Our Heritage – Better Shipping for a Better Future’.
In the words of the IMO, it is an opportunity to “take stock and look back, but also to look forward, addressing current and future challenges”, and is the last of a series of events over the past 12 months that have recognised 70 years since the IMO’s founding.
Today is #WorldMaritimeDay and IMO celebrates 70 years, ensuring that people all over the world can continue to benefit from shipping in a manner that meets the needs of the global economy: https://t.co/c9AsbzKRsP #IMO70 pic.twitter.com/2gmEVVnJ7M
— IMO (@IMOHQ) September 27, 2018
On March 6 2018, a ceremony was held at the IMO’s headquarters in London to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the signing of the IMO Convention in 1948, which came into force 10 years later.
#Didyouknow the Convention establishing IMO was adopted on 6 March 1948 and it entered into force 10 years later. On 27 September, IMO and the global maritime community celebrate #WorldMaritimeDay under the theme: IMO 70: Our Heritage – Better Shipping for a Better Future. pic.twitter.com/slzGbbYLah
— IMO (@IMOHQ) September 24, 2018
The creation of the IMO coincided with a period of tremendous change in world shipping and was at the forefront of many of the rules which the industry abides by.
Read more about the IMO's eco-friendly strategies with a Port Technology technical paper
Credit: IMO
It is now responsible for nearly 50 conventions, agreements and protocols related to safety at sea, trade and the environment, each one signed by all of its 173 members.
70th Anniversary congratulations to @IMO_HQ on World Maritime Day! Our cooperation is essential to reduce the environmental footprint of maritime transport #WorldMaritimeDay pic.twitter.com/A6xzL8bDlQ
— EU Transport (@Transport_EU) September 27, 2018
The next considerable milestone will be January 1 2020, when the IMO’s regulations on sulphur emissions come into force.
They stipulate that a ship cannot emit more than 0.5% of sulphur, and this has led to shipping lines to research alternative fuels, such as liquefied natural gas, and environmentally-friendly technology.