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Efthimios Mitropoulos News

20 Dec 2011

The eNav Strategy and its Implications

Air traffic controllers plot the positions of aircraft on a wall-mounted display, circa 1950. Will control of ships at sea evolve as did air traffic control?

Virtually everyone is, by now, familiar with the concept of electronic navigation, also called eNavigation or eNav. The problem is that the term means different things to different people. Historically, it started with radio beacons. Radar, loran, and GPS have been added over time. Now we have AIS and electronic charting. Most mariners view this as an increasingly sophisticated set of tools installed on the ship to improve the ability to avoid collisions, groundings, and related casualties. That is only part of the story.

11 Aug 2011

Program for ICS/ISF International Shipping Conference Announced

The piracy issue, reducing shipboard emissions, and tackling the worsening crisis of crew competency and complacency onboard today’s ships will be just some of the hard hitting subjects covered at the ICS/ISF International Shipping Conference to be held at IET London, 2 Savoy Place, London from September 14th to 15th. Rear Admiral Duncan Potts, the newly-appointed Operation Commander at EUNAVFOR, will be a guest speaker at the conference and will give his views on tackling the scourge of piracy from a military perspective. He will be joined on the first day’s piracy session by Stephen Askins, Partner at Ince & Co, who will discuss the intricate and often tricky issue of ransom negotiations. Reducing shipboard emissions is one of the shipping industry’s hot topics.

16 May 2011

Spain Promotes the Candidacy of Esteban Pacha of IMO

London, 16 May 2011 (Ministry of Development). In an event organized at the headquarters of the Embassy of Spain in London, Captain Esteban Pacha presented the programme of his candidacy to the Ambassadors, Permanent Representatives and Directors of the Maritime Administrations of most IMO Council Member States. The event was attended by the Spanish Director General of Merchant Marine Ms Isabel Durantez. The current Secretary-General Efthimios Mitropoulos ends his term at the…

26 Apr 2011

NAMEPA Celebrates Over 100 Members Strong

April 22, 2011- While Earth Day was being celebrated around the world, a young maritime industry led agency added to the festivities by announcing it now has over 100 members. The North American Marine Environment Protection Association (NAMEPA) was officially launched in 2007 under the watchful eyes of  IMO Secretary-General Efthimios Mitropoulos and USCG Vice Commandant Vivien Crea . In keeping with the mission of MEPAs worldwide, this   industry-led initiative is dedicated…

29 Mar 2011

Renowned Piracy Negotiator Calls On Maritime Industry To Educate The Public On Piracy Threat

March 21 2011—Stamford, CT. In recognition of the International Maritime Organization’s “Year of Piracy”, WISTA USA hosted world renowned piracy negotiator, Suzanne Williams QPM, as their keynote speaker at its sixth annual WISTA USA luncheon on Monday, kicking off the Connecticut Maritime Association’s Shipping 2011 conference. The luncheon was attended by nearly 250 industry professionals and maritime cadets. Ms. Williams described first hand experiences in her dealings with pirate negotiations, and offered suggestions for combating the scourge.

07 Feb 2011

Pirates Reportedly Execute Seafarer, UN Anti-Piracy Action Plan

The United Nations (UN) issued a news release stating that Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is calling for a long-term strategy of deterrence, security, rule of law, and development to fight the scourge of piracy off the Somali coast. In announcing the launch of the World Maritime Day theme, IMO Secretary-General Efthimios Mitropoulos said: “We were appalled by yesterday’s news that pirates had executed, apparently in cold blood, a seafarer on the Beluga Nomination.” The main aims of the Action Plan are to: (1) increase pressure at the political level to secure the release of all hostages held by the pirates; (2) review and improve the Best Management Practices to deter pirate attacks…

15 Nov 2010

Swift Receives IMO Lifetime Achievement Award

Photo courtesy INTERTANKO

Dr. Peter Swift has been presented, by the Secretary General of the IMO, Efthimios Mitropoulos, with a special Tanker Shipping & Trade Lifetime Achievement Award. Appointed in February 2001 as Managing Director of INTERTANKO (The International Association of Independent Tanker Owners), Swift has spent the last ten years representing the interests of more than 250 oil/chemical tanker owners with over 260m dwt of tonnage and a further 320 associate members from the broader shipping industry. Swift is a graduate of King’s College, Durham (UK) where he studied naval architecture.

23 Sep 2009

US Delegation at 2009 WISTA Conference

 Photo courtesy WISTA

Reflecting its dramatic growth and participation as an organization, the United States fielded the largest visiting national delegation attending last week’s Women’s International Shipping & Trading Association (WISTA) Annual Conference. The US delegation was second only to the host country, the United Kingdom. The Conference was held at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in London, with a theme of “Direction:  Diversity…Route:  Corporate Social Responsibility.”  The Conference was attended by nearly 300 WISTA members from around the globe…

11 Aug 2009

World Maritime Day, American Maritime Quilt

On October 16th, the United States will host, along with the International Maritime Organization, the 2009 World Maritime Day Parallel Event. This is the first and probably only time, that we will be the Parallel Country. Because of its position at the IMO, our United States Coast Guard is the lead agency, with support from the State Department, the Environmental Protection Agency, MARAD and NOAA. This event provides us with a wonderful opportunity to demonstrate to the world the strength and depth of the American-based maritime community. The United States is the largest trading partner in the world, and therefore the largest global maritime participant. For too long, we have not allowed our collective presence be visible.

02 Jul 2009

Nor-Shipping 2009 Defies Economic Downturn

Nor-Shipping 2009 was the largest in the event’s history, dating back to 1967. 1105 exhibitors from 52 countries participated. By comparison, Nor-Shipping 2007, which took place in the midst of a market boom, had 830 exhibitors from 42 countries. The Leading Voices conference that opened Nor-Shipping 2009 on Tuesday, June 9 got the show off to a favorable start. Attended by Norway’s King Harald V, the conference featured leaders of global stature, including IMO Secretary-General Efthimios Mitropoulos, and Richard Fain and Wilh. Wilhelmsen of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.

17 Jun 2009

NorShipping ‘09 a Success

When NorShipping 2009 closed on June 12, the organized had claimed a record numbers of visitors; a total of 15,999, along with a total of 17,780 exhibitor representatives (1105 exhibitors from 52 countries). Given the current status of the world economy and the prospects for a protracted recovery, it is a testament to the brand built in Oslo that NorShipping could command an increase in traffic of 15% versus 2007. “We believed that the market downturn would lead the maritime industry to think again how it reaches out to the market,” said Tollef Schiander, Director for NorShipping. “Companies concentrate their resources on those activities and marketplaces that get results. This year’s Nor-Shipping was more popular than ever.

02 Apr 2009

Minimax Minifog Nominated for Award

Minimax has been nominated for the Seatrade Awards 2009 with its Minifog marine XP. The new, efficient high-pressure water mist extinguishing system, meeting the current IMO guidelines, was listed in the Safety at Sea category. Seatrade Awards recognize innovative product solutions for safe, efficient and environmentally friendly shipping. The judging panel consists of ten international experts including their chairman, Efthimios Mitropoulos, General Secretary of the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The 21st Seatrade Awards ceremony is being held in London in May 2009.

30 Sep 2004

World Maritime Day Focuses on Maritime Security

The Secretary–General of the IMO, Mr. Efthimios Mitropoulos, issued a Message in recognition of World Maritime Day, 30 September 2004. This year the focus of the commemoration is maritime security. As we work to enhance maritime security, we must not lose sight of the fact that the foundation of such security rests with the crewmembers of the numerous ships plying the seas and carrying passengers and cargo. If they can be trusted to operate the ships, they should be trusted to go ashore in ports that benefit from the visits of those ships. (HK Law)

07 Jul 2004

MENAS Gets New Multipurpose Light Tender

Middle East Navigation Aids Service (MENAS) introduced its new multipurpose light tender vessel Relume in a special naming ceremony at Damen Shipyards’ Royal Schelde facility in Vlissingen, The Netherlands. The vessel, the third MENAS ship to bear the name Relume, was christened by Mrs Chantal E Mitropoulos, wife of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Secretary-General Efthimios Mitropoulos. vessels could perform. salvage capabilities. organization,” said John Gyles, Chairman of MENAS. its core activities using less ship¹s time than in the past. maritime safety and environmental protection in ways that extend beyond the organization¹s traditional role of maintaining aids to navigation. that has built more than 3,000 vessels over the past 30 years.

30 Jun 2004

ISPS Update

The latest ISPS Code implementation figures show a continuing improvement, particularly as far as port facilities are concerned, IMO Secretary-General Mr. Efthimios Mitropoulos said today, Wednesday (30 June). The latest figures issued by IMO, on the eve of the entry-into-force date, suggest that the majority of ships and ports worldwide will have achieved full compliance and that many more are well on the way towards doing so. “The figures released today indicate that the number of port facility security plans submitted and approved has increased significantly in the week before 1 July 2004,” Mr. Mitropoulos said. “Although the figures are changing constantly…

25 Jun 2004

ISPS Implementation: IMO Notes Continued Improvement

The latest ISPS Code implementation figures show a steady improvement, IMO Secretary-General Mr. Efthimios Mitropoulos said on Friday (25 June). “The figures released today indicate that both the number of ship security plans submitted and International Ship Security Certificates issued are increasing as we approach the home strait to 1 July 2004,” Mr. Mitropoulos said. “The proportion of port facility plans approved – while still low – is also increasing. “I am also encouraged by the fact that information provided by the industry organizations indicates that certain particularly vulnerable categories of ships – including passenger ships and tankers – are showing a high rate of compliance,” he added. Mr.

21 Jun 2004

Ensure Strategic Shipping Lanes are Secure

IMO Secretary-General Mr. Efthimios Mitropoulos has stressed the importance of ensuring that strategically important international shipping lanes are protected from the threat of terrorism and remain open for trade at all times. Announcing the latest International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code compliance figures to the Council's 92nd session, which meets 21 to 25 June (see figures below), Mr. Mitropoulos emphasized the need to ensure that shipping lanes, particularly those of strategic significance and importance, are kept open under all circumstances. "To this effect, we have undertaken some research work in the Secretariat…

21 Jun 2004

IMO Waves the Flag about Shipping

It is time to promote the image of shipping, IMO Secretary-General Mr. Efthimios Mitropoulos said on Monday (21 June), as he received on behalf of IMO the gift of a replica model of the Queen Mary 2 cruise ship from the International Council of Cruise Lines and their members Cunard and Carnival Cruise Lines. Referring to the Queen Mary 2 as a "a symbol for all that is excellent in shipping today", Mr. Mr. "I, therefore, believe that the time has come for us to work together, more systematically than ever before, to make politicians and the public aware of the credit shipping rightly deserves," Mr. Mitropoulos said. The model ship was presented by Ms. Pam Conover, President and CEO of Cunard Line Ltd. Also speaking at the ceremony were Mr.

20 Jan 2004

Safer Transport for Dangerous Goods Now Mandatory

Uniform, global rules for the safe transport by sea of dangerous goods and marine pollutants in packaged form are now compulsory, following the entry into force on January 1, 2004 of the 2002 amendments to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), 1974, making the International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code mandatory. In welcoming the development, IMO Secretary-General Mr. Efthimios Mitropoulos observed that the decision by IMO Member States in 2002 to make the IMDG Code mandatory was aimed at greatly enhancing the safe transport of dangerous goods, by ensuring uniformity of regulations worldwide. "The IMDG Code is a key IMO instrument which is crucial for the secure multimodal transport of dangerous goods.

18 Dec 2003

IMO Addresses Audit Scheme, Places of Refuge and Ship Recycling

from November 24-December 5, 2003. assistance and guidelines on ship recycling. Altogether the session saw 30 resolutions adopted by the Assembly. of marine pollution by ships. The Assembly resolution Voluntary IMO Member State Audit Scheme approved the establishment and further development of the scheme, to be implemented on a voluntary basis. It requests the IMO Council to develop, as a matter of high priority, procedures and other modalities for the implementation of the scheme. The proposed IMO Member State Audit Scheme will be designed to help promote maritime safety and environmental protection by assessing how effectively Member States implement and enforce relevant IMO Convention standards, and by providing them with feedback and advice on their current performance.

01 Dec 2003

Mitropoulos Confirmed as New IMO Secretary-General

The election of Efthimios Mitropoulos of Greece to the post of Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization was confirmed on November 27 to appoint Mitropoulos. He will take up office on the retirement of the incumbent, William O'Neil of Canada, at the end of this year. In a wide-ranging acceptance speech to the Assembly, Mr Mitropoulos spoke of the challenges that lie ahead for the Organization. Mitropoulos emphasized the need for change within IMO, referring to the "winds of change" blowing through the maritime world and through the Organization itself, and pledged himself to understanding and interpreting the message borne by those winds.

09 Sep 2003

IMO Establishes Philippines Regional Presence Office

IMO initiated a milestone today with the inauguration of the first IMO Regional Presence Office in the Asian region. The opening of the office for the East Asian sub-region follows the successful establishment of three regional presence offices in Africa: the IMO regional co-ordinators are located in Kenya, for Eastern and Southern Africa subregion; Ghana, for West and Central Africa (Anglophone) subregion; and Abidjan, for West and Central Africa (Francophone) sub-region. The IMO regional co-ordinator for East Asian sub-region will be Brenda Pimentel, who was previously the overseas shipping director of the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) in the Philippines.

08 May 2008

Effort to Cut Ferry Deaths in Developing Nations

The original two-year MOU has been renewed indefinitely following major progress towards running demonstration projects in Bangladesh as a pilot for taking the safety initiative worldwide. The new agreement was signed in London by IMO secretary-general Efthimios Mitropoulos and Interferry CEO Len Roueche. The trade association has IMO consultative status and a global membership of more than 200 leading operators and suppliers. Mr Roueche said: “This commitment to our ongoing cooperation will be crucial in helping to prevent thousands of avoidable deaths. Initial funds have been raised for key elements of the Bangladesh pilot programme, which is based on proposals from a working group including the national maritime administration, local operators and other stakeholders.