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Today we celebrate World Maritime Day 2013.
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon's message:
This year’s World Maritime Day falls at an important time, as the
United Nations leads the final stretch of our global campaign to address human
suffering through the Millennium Development Goals while shaping a vision for
the post-2015 period.
In this effort, we value maritime transport as a cost-effective
and energy-efficient link in the global supply chain.
Let us use this occasion to reaffirm our commitment to optimize
the management of maritime transport to support sustainable development.
Message from the Secretary-General of the International Maritime
Organization, Mr. Koji Sekimizu:
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In the
future, mankind's development must be able not only to meet the needs of the
present, but also allow future generations to meet their own needs. Our
development must be sustainable.
The
World Maritime Day theme for 2013 is "Sustainable Development: IMO's
contribution beyond Rio+20".
Central
to any future development is the global supply chain, the complex mechanism
that enables today's inter-dependent, global economy to function. The
maritime sector is a vital link in that chain.
As the
world's only really reliable, global, cost-effective and energy-efficient
mass transportation method for energy, materials, foods and industrial
products, maritime transport is central to sustainable development. And the
maritime transportation system itself must, therefore, ensure that its
development is also sustainable.
The
Maritime Transportation System already contributes significantly to the three
pillars of sustainable development – social, environmental and economic. But
how do we turn the concept of a sustainable Maritime Transportation System
into something tangible? The first step is to identify some broad areas that
we need to address if sustainability is to be achieved. Safety; environmental
protection; efficient operation; security; and resource conservation are some
of the main areas where we will need to focus.
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Together
let us celebrate the world maritime day 2013 and in our own way contribute to
sustainable development of our industry with cost-effective and
energy-efficient operations.
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