IMO Chief: How we address the challenges facing the shipping industry

CGTN Europe

The third UN Ocean Conference in France wraps up with progress that "exceeded expectations." Global leaders are building real momentum behind a pact to protect marine life - including a landmark goal to safeguard 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030. CGTN’s Sarah Coates speaks with IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez on how the shipping industry fits into the ocean protection puzzle. #UNOceanConference #OceanProtection #MarineConservation #SustainableShipping #CGTN

Transcript

00:00One of the strengths of IMR as a specialized agency of the United Nations

00:03is the ability to bring all the countries together and stakeholders on the table

00:08and address any challenge that shipping may be facing.

00:13We have challenges in the past related to geopolitics, and we have overcome them.

00:18And we're doing the same thing again.

00:20From the situations that we had in the Red Sea, which has improved and of course affected

00:25not only the environment and world trade, but in particularly the seafarers on board.

00:31We have the situations in the Black Sea, and we're also improving that by addressing

00:36with operational and technical measures how shipping can continue to be resilient.

00:42So my call continues to be to bring everyone onto the table, understand each other,

00:46and make the necessary progress.

00:48Our objectives will always be to enhance the safety, security of shipping,

00:52as well as the environmental footprint.

00:54And they go hand in hand.

00:56The safer and the more efficient the ship is, the greener it will also be.

01:01And that is also the training that we provide to the seafarers in all the areas related to shipping,

01:07from the environment, liabilities, management, harassment, you name it, that's what we're doing.

01:13And this, of course, will allow us to continue to evolve as a sector.

01:17We have a long record to support member states, in particularly small island developing states

01:23and least developed countries, through projects or technical cooperation activities.

01:27Now, with the economic measures that we are introducing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,

01:33we are going to be able to financially also support the transition to a green shipping.

01:38This becomes a model that I hope all the sectors will also follow up and demonstrate that,

01:44yes, there is a cost, but we have to protect the environment.

01:47We can't work in isolation.

01:49Look at IMO.

01:50We have to decarbonize.

01:51And for that, we need the energy sector to play their part, the member states, the countries,

01:56to also enhance not just the training of the people, but also the infrastructures in the ports.

02:01And we will be able to provide some assistance.

02:03But I call from early movers in the shipping sector, as well as the countries,

02:07that can take the first step, that can share the experience with others,

02:11and that would allow us to all play a part in this transition.

02:15It's the responsibility, the role that we're playing, and how seriously we're taking it.

02:20Because there's a lot of noise going on about the great achievements that we are making

02:24in relation to decarbonization.

02:26But we're working in the reduction and elimination of plastic pollution from ships,

02:31which we have over three decades of experience on that.

02:34Biofouling and transboundary species, their reduction of underwater radiated noise,

02:40everything that actually contributes to protection of the ocean.

02:44We know that we are one of the main users of the oceans.

02:46That's why it's our responsibility and the opportunity to take every single possible measure

02:52to guarantee that the ocean is sustainable.

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