World Maritime Day in SA

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South Africa will host the International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) World Maritime Day Parallel Event in Durban next year.

Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula received the official flag for the IMO World Maritime Day Parallel Event at this year’s event in Cartagena, Colombia, from this week.

The flag was handed to the Minister during a ceremony by current hosts, Colombia, represented by Vice President Marta Lucia Ramirez.

Mbalula named Durban host city for next year’s conference, to be attended by officials from IMO member states, specialised UN agencies, inter-governmental organisations and non-governmental organisations.

“During this year’s event, Minister Mbalula joined his counterparts from Ghana, United Arab Emirates, Singapore and other countries to discuss a strategy promoting global partnership and regional co-operation on maritime issues.

“Other agenda items were women empowerment in the maritime community, the UN Sustainable Development Goals in relation to oceans governance and the revolution of the maritime industry in the era of new technology,” the Ministry of Transport said.

IMO is a specialised UN agency, with the chief objective of setting international standards for safe, secure, environmentally sound, efficient and sustainable shipping.