President Mwai Kibaki has cautioned that the expansion of the global economy has created new challenges to the maritime transport and the International Maritime Organization must urgently look into ways of adapting.
He noted that the growing global interdependence and the need to transport larger volumes of goods has resulted in the building and launching of bigger vessels plying the seas, leading to increased risk and incidences of sunken ships along the sea channels.
“Today, the bulk of the world’s merchandise and energy supplies are carried by seagoing vessels. This places maritime transport at the heart of global trading systems and the global economy as a whole,” the President said.
In this regard, President Kibaki urged the International Maritime Organization (IMO) member states to work conclusively towards finalizing the process that will allow the adoption of the Wreck Removal Convention.
It has taken thirty years to agree on a draft convention that is being discussed in Nairobi this week.
The President was speaking during the official opening of the International Maritime Organization’s Conference on Wreck Removal Convention at the United Nations Headquarters at Gigiri in Nairobi. The conference is taking place in Africa for the first time.
Appreciating that negotiations leading to the draft convention have been protracted for over thirty years, the President called for consultations and accommodation of different interests of the member states, ship owners and other stakeholders.
“This Conference is taking place at an opportune time, as the growing pace of global economic growth and maritime trade have clearly demonstrated that we can no longer postpone the need for a binding Convention,” he said.
He said that agreement and consensus on the adoption of the draft convention would lead to better maritime safety, reduction in the costs and risks to maritime transport and better protection of the global maritime environment.
President Kibaki stressed that the draft convention has clear benefits to the maritime industry, as it would create a legal framework on the removal of wrecks.
The President added that the draft convention will also propose guidelines that will enable member states to enforce regulations on locating and marking wrecks, as well as determining the liabilities of responsible parties in removing the hazardous wrecks and materials.
The Head of State pointed out that apart from the environmental hazards posed to the delicate marine ecosystems, shipwrecks constitute a growing danger to safe navigation to many ports and crowded sea-lanes.
In this connection, President Kibaki thanked the International Maritime Organization member States and their dedicated staff for working tirelessly over the last three decades to come up with the draft convention that will contribute to improved maritime safety.
The President expressed satisfaction that the IMO’s Regional Office for Eastern and Southern Africa in Nairobi is actively involved towards advancing maritime safety and security in the region.
He pointed out that Kenya is also honoured to host the Regional Maritime Coordination Centre for search and rescue operations for seafarers and ships in distress.
“This center coordinates operations in the whole of the East African region. It also plays an essential role in monitoring accidents and incidents of piracy and armed robberies against ships in the Indian Ocean,” the President said.
The Head of State also thanked all the member states, the council and the assembly of the International Maritime Organization for honouring Kenya by accepting the invitation to host the conference in Nairobi.
“This is a clear indication that the continent is ready and willing to play a more active role in the international maritime affairs,” President Kibaki said.
He appreciated the recent efforts by the International Maritime Organization to increase its support to Africa in the areas of safety and security, search and rescue capacity building, technical cooperation, human resource development and the fight against international terrorism and piracy.
Present were the International Maritime Organization Mr. Efthimios Mitropoulos and Transport Minister Chirau Ali Mwakwere among others.
He noted that the growing global interdependence and the need to transport larger volumes of goods has resulted in the building and launching of bigger vessels plying the seas, leading to increased risk and incidences of sunken ships along the sea channels.
“Today, the bulk of the world’s merchandise and energy supplies are carried by seagoing vessels. This places maritime transport at the heart of global trading systems and the global economy as a whole,” the President said.
In this regard, President Kibaki urged the International Maritime Organization (IMO) member states to work conclusively towards finalizing the process that will allow the adoption of the Wreck Removal Convention.
It has taken thirty years to agree on a draft convention that is being discussed in Nairobi this week.
The President was speaking during the official opening of the International Maritime Organization’s Conference on Wreck Removal Convention at the United Nations Headquarters at Gigiri in Nairobi. The conference is taking place in Africa for the first time.
Appreciating that negotiations leading to the draft convention have been protracted for over thirty years, the President called for consultations and accommodation of different interests of the member states, ship owners and other stakeholders.
“This Conference is taking place at an opportune time, as the growing pace of global economic growth and maritime trade have clearly demonstrated that we can no longer postpone the need for a binding Convention,” he said.
He said that agreement and consensus on the adoption of the draft convention would lead to better maritime safety, reduction in the costs and risks to maritime transport and better protection of the global maritime environment.
President Kibaki stressed that the draft convention has clear benefits to the maritime industry, as it would create a legal framework on the removal of wrecks.
The President added that the draft convention will also propose guidelines that will enable member states to enforce regulations on locating and marking wrecks, as well as determining the liabilities of responsible parties in removing the hazardous wrecks and materials.
The Head of State pointed out that apart from the environmental hazards posed to the delicate marine ecosystems, shipwrecks constitute a growing danger to safe navigation to many ports and crowded sea-lanes.
In this connection, President Kibaki thanked the International Maritime Organization member States and their dedicated staff for working tirelessly over the last three decades to come up with the draft convention that will contribute to improved maritime safety.
The President expressed satisfaction that the IMO’s Regional Office for Eastern and Southern Africa in Nairobi is actively involved towards advancing maritime safety and security in the region.
He pointed out that Kenya is also honoured to host the Regional Maritime Coordination Centre for search and rescue operations for seafarers and ships in distress.
“This center coordinates operations in the whole of the East African region. It also plays an essential role in monitoring accidents and incidents of piracy and armed robberies against ships in the Indian Ocean,” the President said.
The Head of State also thanked all the member states, the council and the assembly of the International Maritime Organization for honouring Kenya by accepting the invitation to host the conference in Nairobi.
“This is a clear indication that the continent is ready and willing to play a more active role in the international maritime affairs,” President Kibaki said.
He appreciated the recent efforts by the International Maritime Organization to increase its support to Africa in the areas of safety and security, search and rescue capacity building, technical cooperation, human resource development and the fight against international terrorism and piracy.
Present were the International Maritime Organization Mr. Efthimios Mitropoulos and Transport Minister Chirau Ali Mwakwere among others.
SOURCES: Presidential Press Service
State House, Nairobi
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