The inaugural Annual General Meeting of the Pacific Islands Maritime Conference which gets underway in Port Vila, Vanuatu, tomorrow will signal the official merger of four regional maritime bodies.
This meeting, which will be hosted by the Government of Vanuatu in collaboration with the Pacific Community (SPC) and the International Maritime Organization (IMO), will be attended by the executive members of the four regional associations that include the Pacific Islands Maritime Association (PacMA), the Pacific Maritime Transport Alliance (PMTA), the Pacific International Maritime Law Association (PIMLA) and the Pacific Island Ship owners Association (PISA).
Also attending are representatives of the Pacific Women in Maritime Association (PacWIMA) to endorse the constitution of PIMC and provide an understanding of its role along with planned activities and specialised sub-committees.
The concept to merge into a single Pacific Islands maritime association – the Pacific Islands Maritime Conference (PIMC) – was endorsed at the second regional meeting for Ministers for maritime transport in 2009.
“By encompassing all aspects of the maritime industry, PIMC can ensure that all the relevant stakeholders are kept informed of developments both within the Pacific region and the wider maritime world,” PIMC’s Chair, Richard Coleman, said.
“This body has a duty to all stakeholders to ensure that safety culture is paramount in all areas of the industry as well as the concept of clean efficient energy is promoted to all maritime users,” Mr Coleman added.
The one-day meeting is intended to allow participants to discuss mutual issues and challenges, agree on future partnerships and membership of PIMC for financial sustainability, and endorse the two-year workplan.
“It has been a long journey to achieve the constitution of the Pacific Islands Maritime Conference; we now have the framework for a more collaborative and integrated approach of the four regional associations to participate in raising the profile of the Pacific maritime transport sector and sharing experience and initiative to assist all Pacific Island countries and territories,” SPC’s Deputy Director Transport, Thierry Nervale, said.
PIMC is now the principal interactive forum and key advisory body for national government agencies responsible for maritime affairs and sectors within the region and is a united voice for the maritime affairs and sectors in the Pacific.
Media contacts
Sitalingi Payne, SPC Maritime Port Security Adviser, [email protected] or +679 337 9296
Samantha Naidu, SPC Research & Information Assistant, [email protected] or +679 337 9258