- Over 70 delegates from the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean regions gathered on the Gold Coast from 24–28 February for a joint seminar on maritime safety.
- Discussions focused on enhancing port State control (PSC) collaboration, ship inspection guidelines, and overall industry safety.
- Tokyo MoU and Indian Ocean MoU secretaries emphasized a coordinated approach, including structured training on fishing vessel inspections.
- AMSA’s Bruce Whitby stressed the need for internationally agreed regulations, while the seminar highlighted the role of women in maritime.
More than 70 representatives from the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean regions participated in a joint seminar on the Gold Coast, Queensland, from 24 to 28 February. The event, attended by officials from Australia and signatory nations of the Tokyo MoU (Asia-Pacific) and the Indian Ocean MoU on port State control (PSC), focused on strengthening international cooperation to improve maritime safety, according to Safety4sea.
Key discussions centered on refining ship inspection guidelines, reinforcing PSC measures, and fostering collaboration across regions.
Advancing Training and Standardization
Indian Ocean MoU Secretary Achintya Bikash Dutta highlighted the introduction of a structured training program on fishing vessel inspections as a significant milestone, with another session planned in the coming weeks. Tokyo MoU Secretary Hideo Kubota also stressed the importance of a unified approach in PSC enforcement.
The seminar featured workshops, presentations, and expert discussions, with contributions from AMSA Head of Inspections Bruce Whitby and Caribbean MoU Secretary General Jodi Munn Barrow.
“Shipping is truly international, and it can only operate effectively if the regulations and standards are agreed, adopted, and implemented on an international basis” , Whitby noted.
Recognizing Women in Maritime
A key highlight of the seminar was the strong representation of women in maritime, with nearly half of the presenters being women. The event underscored the importance of gender diversity in shaping the future of the industry.
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Source: Safety4sea
