World Maritime Day and a Message from IMO Secretary General

WORLDWIDE – Today is World Maritime Day and a forum is being held at IMO Headquarters in London this afternoon to discuss and celebrate the occasion. An eminent panel will discuss global shipping's future challenges with opportunity for questions. The event will be live-streamed to media and the wider public. Live stream participants will be invited to take part via Twitter using the following handle and hashtag: @IMOHQ #WMDforum. Additionally a video message is available in which the Secretary General, Kitack Lim, speaks of the importance of the shipping industry.

The Secretary General’s speech covers a whole range of subjects, from increasing populations to the environment but concentrates on the whole picture and the unique position and importance which the industry holds pointing out that 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.

He asks if 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.