The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has welcomed Pakistan's aspiration to develop a maritime university. These views were expressed by the Secretary-General, International Maritime Organisation, London, during the visit of B K Ghauri, Minister for Ports and Shipping, on December 10. The Minister was accompanied by Captain Anwar Shah, Additional Secretary/Director-General Ports and Shipping, and Zahoor Ahmed, First Secretary.
While discussing previous IMO support to Pakistan, the Secretary General drew attention to the number of Pakistani graduates from World Maritime University (WMU) (30) and IMLI (7) and the Organisation's technical assistance on issues including OPRC convention and ISPS Code.
Captain Shah stressed government's wish to be fully involved in the work of IMO and the importance it gave to IMO issues. He also wished to see greater involvement of Pakistan in IMO work, possibly through membership of the WMU Board of Governors, permanent representation at IMO or though additional staff in the IMO secretariat.
The Secretary General agreed to consider the addition of Pakistan to the WMU Board, notwithstanding the general wish to reduce the size of the Board. He also suggested that Pakistan might consider seeking a position on the IMO council in due course of time. He pointed out the difficulty in ensuring representation of all 164 member states with only approximately 80 professional posts.
The Minister advised the Secretary General that Pakistan's accession to the CLC convention was imminent and that work was going on related to accession to the Fund '92. Captain Shah highlighted the work done by Pakistan in support of ISPS Code implementation and the fact that no security incident had occurred in any Pakistan port to date.
On the details of the proposal to upgrade the Academy to university level, Shah recalled previous donor-led support to the Academy, including support of JICA, for the provision of simulators, which now needed to be upgraded.
The Secretary General suggested that Pakistan might wish to seek further support bilaterally with JICA or possibly Norway or the EU. He also offered the support of IMO, first through a needs assessment mission. The Secretary General made it clear that IMO could not provide funding for capital projects but agreed to provide his support to Pakistan in any approach to bilateral donors following receipt of the recommendations of the needs assessment.
On other issues, the Secretary General recalled his letter, written in conjunction with the Director General of ILO, to the US Department of Homeland Security in response to his concerns about the treatment of seafarers under the provisions of US anti-security legislation. He expressed regret over the situation with respect to Pakistani seafarers and their employing companies and advised that he was considering writing again to the newly appointed head of Homeland Security once he had settled into the post.
On the follow up to the loss of the Tasman Spirit, the Secretary General welcomed the on-going negotiations between the newly formed tripartite group in Pakistan and P & I club concerned, and reiterated his offer of support to satisfactory conclusion of the negotiations to the mutual satisfaction of the parties involved.