In December it was announced that Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) officer, Mr Tan Hanqiang, First Secretary (Maritime), High Commission of the Republic of Singapore to the UK, had been appointed by the IMO as Vice-Chair of the IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC). It is understood that the appointment was effective from 16 December 2022. Mr Tan succeeded Mr Harry Conway (Liberia).

IMO has been assisting the Maritime Affairs Authority, Yemen, to put in place a legal framework that gives full and complete effect to IMO instruments dealing with maritime security.

Port-Safety have attracted an investment from Ultranav to grow the business and expand the pursuit of improved marine safety and savings lives. Together with the investment from Ultranav, additional funding has been secured from The Danish Growth Fund (“Vækstfonden”).

A propeller technology capable of substantially reducing the underwater radiated noise (URN) generated by ships’ propellers has been developed by Oscar Propulsion Limited and the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow.

The 76th  session of the Council was held from 12 to 16 December 2022 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and by video conference. 32 new documents (Recommendations, Guidelines, and Model Courses) were approved as well as one workshop proposal and the budget for 2023.

VTMIS

Election of next Secretary-General

The Council approved the procedures for holding the election of the Secretary-General at the July 2023 session of the Council (C 129). Applications from candidates for the position of Secretary-General will be invited to reach IMO by 31 March 2023 at the latest.

With their joint venture Ecowende, Shell and Eneco have won the tender for the construction of an offshore wind farm at Hollandse Kust (west) lot VI.

On 15 December the United States’ only operational heavy icebreaker, the. Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star (WAGB 10), made a scheduled port call at Chowder Bay, Australia.