Shipping is on a mission to ensure the safety of lives at sea. That’s the message from the Maritime Authority of Jamaica today (September 27) as the global shipping industry marks World Maritime Day. The lives of seafarers, passengers and the protection of property and the marine environment are all important components of the modern shipping industry.

This year’s theme for this important international milestone is maritime safety, coinciding as it does with the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic which sparked the development of the International Convention for the Safety of Life At Sea, 1974 (SOLAS). While shipping is now one of the safest modes of transport today the theme helps the maritime community to focus on ensuring it is made even safer.

The Maritime Authority of Jamaica (MAJ) is a party to SOLAS and, as a Flag State, Port State and Coastal State, takes its responsibilities very seriously. The country is a key player at the International Maritime Organization where it is a Category C Council member and is represented on a number of committees, including the Standards of Training and Watchkeeping committee which it chairs.

In addition, the MAJ is at the forefront of regional efforts to ensure and enhance safety. Jamaica is a member of the Caribbean Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control and hosts the Secretariat’s offices in Kingston.

Rear Admiral Peter Brady, MAJ Director General, said: ““Today of all days, we must ensure our focus is on maritime safety and marine environmental protection. We at the Maritime Authority of Jamaica strive to ensure that the international vessels which call at our ports, those that operate locally, as well as those on the Jamaica Ship Registry, do so in a manner that ensures safety of the crew, passengers, the cargo, the vessel and the environment.”

Source: Maritime Authority of Jamaica