International Maritime Prize Awarded Posthumously

The prestigious International Maritime Prize for 2006 has been awarded posthumously to Mr. Igor Ponomarev (Russian Federation), who was the serving chairman of IMO's Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) at the time of his sudden death in October 2006, age 41, and who had already given distinguished service to the shipping industry in a variety of senior positions both within and outside IMO. Mr. Efthimios E. Mitropoulos, Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization, presented the prize to Mr. Ponomarev's widow, Mrs. Elena Ponomareva, during a special ceremony during the 83rd session of the MSC, held in Copenhagen, Denmark. The International Maritime Prize is awarded annually by IMO to the individual or organization judged to have made the most significant contribution to the work and objectives of IMO. The 98th session of the IMO Council in June 2007 took the decision to award the prize to Mr. Ponomarev posthumously in recognition of his contribution to the objectives of the Organization. Mr. Ponomarev is one of two winners of the 2006 prize, as the Council decided, for the first time, to award two prizes for that year: one to Mr. Ponomarev, posthumously, and another to Mr. Alfred Popp (Canada), in recognition of his long and distinguished service to the cause of maritime safety and security and the protection of the marine environment, highlighted by his work representing Canada at IMO and his chairmanship of IMO's Legal Committee from 1993 to 2006. Mr. Popp will be presented with his prize during a special ceremony during the 93rd session of the Legal Committee, which is being held in Panama City, Panama, later this month.