The Diplomat
Spain will host an event scheduled by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) on the occasion of World Maritime Day in 2024, as announced by the Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda.
The 129th Council of the IMO, chaired by the Spanish Víctor Jiménez and which was held last week in London, has chosen Spain as the venue for the celebration of the event that has been commemorated every year since 1980 on the last Thursday of September. The motto chosen by the IMO for the celebration next year is ‘Sailing in the future: safety first’.
The Ministry of Transport, through the General Directorate of the Merchant Marine (DGMM), thanked the Council for accepting Spain’s offer to host this event and showed its commitment to start working with the IMO General Secretariat to ensure make the event a success.
The Ministry also pointed out that the choice of Spain as the venue for this celebration once again shows that the country continues to increase its level of involvement with the work of the organization and once again places it “at the forefront of the international maritime sphere”.
On the other hand, the Maritime Rescue team from the Fene strategic base in A Coruña and the Ardentia Marine diving intervention unit were recognized with an honorable mention within the IMO awards for exceptional value.
The organization pointed out that the recognition was granted, says the organization, “for the tenacity and expertise they demonstrated during the nighttime rescue, in heavy seas, of the sole crew member of the Jeanne Solo Sailor sailboat, who was found inside their overturned boat with floating ropes that blocked the entrance and with hardly any visibility”.
Finally, the Council also expressed its “deep regret” over the discontinuation of the Black Sea grain export initiative and the issue of stranded ships and crews in the Black Sea and Azov Sea, following the refusal of Russia to extend its application beyond last July 18.
