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.

Speaking in Manila to open the IMO office, IMO Assistant Secretary-General Efthimios Mitropoulos noted that it was not a coincidence that IMO's regional presence should be located in what is both a major port and a major center of seafarers' supply to the world's merchant fleet.

"The implementation of IMO instruments, including those related to maritime security, and the development of regional partnerships are among the principal aims of the IMO regional co-ordination program and the Office we inaugurate in Manila will play a key role in assisting countries in the region to meet their implementation obligations," Mitropoulos said.