IMO IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim, during a past event. Photo Courtesy of UN
By ABDULHAKIM SHERMAN
newsdesk@reporter.co.ke
The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) is continuing its work to support developing countries to prevent air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from ships with a global training exercise held in Batumi, Georgia (12-14 September).
Participants are being trained to use three new draft guides, specifically developed under IMO’s GloMEEP project in collaboration with IMArEST, which cover i) rapid assessment for determining the country maritime energy efficiency and emissions status, ii) maritime energy efficiency strategy development, and iii) incorporation of MARPOL Annex VI into national law.
Thirty-seven participants from all 10 GloMEEP lead pilot countries* are taking part in the exercise, which will lay the foundation for further work in the countries going forward.
Countries will develop their own national reports that clarify their status on maritime energy efficiency and emissions from ships; set out national maritime energy efficiency strategies and policies; and lay out draft national legislation covering MARPOL Annex VI.
IMO is represented by Jose Matheickal, Edmund Hughes, Aicha Cherif and Astrid Dispert.
*Argentina, China, Georgia, India, Jamaica, Malaysia, Morocco, Panama, Philippines and South Africa.

Participants during a global training exercise held in Batumi, Georgia (12-14 September) to help developing countries to prevent air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from ships. Photo Courtesy of UN
Meanwhile, the World Maritime Day is Thursday 29 September 2016. The IMO encourage you to highlight the day and join the discussion on shipping’s future challenges. What does World Maritime Day mean for your readers? #World Maritime Day.
Billions of people all over the world rely on shipping for the essentials and the luxuries in life, shipping is indispensable, yet very few people realise it. Is shipping’s relative anonymity a problem and, if so, why?
The World Maritime Day theme provides an opportunity for the shipping community to tell its story: the story of an industry that, in terms of efficiency, safety, environmental impact and its contribution to global trade is unmatched by any other transport sector; the story of shipping – which is, truly, indispensable to the world.
Official video message by Kitack Lim, IMO Secretary-General, for World Maritime Day 2016 .