The world relies on a safe, secure and efficient international shipping industry. Representatives from Australia and signatory nations to the Asia Pacific (Tokyo) and Indian Ocean Memorandums of Understanding (TMOU and IOMOU) on port State control (PSC) will come together on 24 February in Gold Coast, Queensland, for the inaugural joint seminar promoting safer shipping in the region.
The Joint Tokyo and Indian Ocean MoU Seminar for PSC Officers, titled 'Building collaboration to improve maritime safety across the seas', will run until 28 February, hosting approximately 70 delegates.
There will be a mix of presentations, workshops and activities aimed at achieving a safer shipping industry, improving ship inspection guidelines and strengthening maritime relationships in the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean regions.
The seminar will feature keynote speaker Jodi Munn Barrow, Secretary General of the Caribbean MoU and Hideo Kubota, Secretary of the Tokyo MoU.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) Head of Inspections Bruce Whitby said international gatherings like this were crucial to the success of the worldwide PSC regime.
"Shipping is truly international, and it can only operate effectively if the regulations and standards are agreed, adopted and implemented on an international basis."
"This seminar highlights the importance of international cooperation and effective communication".
"We will also be celebrating women working in maritime and their important role in the industry, with almost 50% of the presenters being women from the industry," Mr Whitby said.
The Tokyo MoU was signed in 1993 and aims to promote effective port State control (PSC)
regimes in the Asia-Pacific region to eliminate substandard shipping through the co-operation of its members and harmonisation of their activities.
The IOMOU was finalised in 1997 to promote the effective implementation of an improved and harmonised system of PSC to eliminate substandard shipping and practices, promote maritime safety, protect the marine environment and safeguard working and living conditions on board ships.