Last Thursday of September celebrated as World Maritime Day (WMD), 2019

Every Year, World Maritime Day (WMD) is observed on the last Thursday of September. This year, it is being observed on September 26, 2019. This day marks date of adaptation of International Maritime Organization (IMO) Convention in 1958. The day was first observed in 1978. It acknowledges the importance of maritime industry and to highlight importance of shipping safety, maritime security and marine environment.

World Maritime Day, 2019: Theme

The theme of World Maritime Day, 2019 is “Empowering Women in the Maritime Community”. The theme provides  an opportunity to raise awareness of the importance of gender equality, in line with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, and to highlight the important – yet underutilized – contribution of women within the maritime sector.

International Maritime Organization (IMO)

IMO is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for regulating shipping. It was established in 1948 in Geneva as ICMO and came into force in 1959. Its headquarters are in London, United Kingdom. It has 171 member states and 3 associate members. India was one of the earliest members of IMO and had joined it as member-state in 1959. IMO’s functions are to develop and maintain a comprehensive regulatory framework for shipping and its remit. This framework addresses various areas like safety, legal matters, environmental concerns, technical co-operation, maritime security and efficiency of shipping.

Month: Current Affairs - September, 2019