World Maritime Day 2020
Tuesday, 01 September 2020
Sustainable shipping for a sustainable planet
The year 2020 marks the beginning of a decade of action and delivery for the United Nations global goals. It will be a decisive decade not only for the shipping industry, but for life on the planet.
The theme provides flexibility to the IMO Secretariat and the Member States in highlighting the myriad topics and challenges in meeting the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. At the same time, it will provide excellent opportunities to highlight the already significant contributions of shipping and the IMO to building that sustainable future. The theme will provide opportunities for leaders from various sectors, including shipping, to both reflect on the work done and the urgent steps they further plan towards a sustainable future.
The shipping industry, with the support of the IMO regulatory framework, has already started the transition towards this sustainable future. IMO has adopted and will continue to develop measures to cut greenhouse gas emissions, reduce the sulphur content of ships' fuel oil, implement the Ballast Water Management Convention, protect the polar regions, reduce marine litter, improve the efficiency of shipping through the electronic exchange of information, meet the challenges of the digitalization of shipping and enhance the participation of women in the maritime community.
IMO is strategically equipped, in line with the approach laid out in the IMO Secretariat's SDGs Strategy, to showcase the organization's contribution to the SDGs and to act upon untapped opportunities of technologies, finance and new partnerships for the future benefit of the shipping industry and humankind.