thebahamasweekly.com - Bahamas successful in bid for elected to IMO Council

From:TheBahamasWeekly.com

Bahamas Information Services Updates
Bahamas successful in bid for elected to IMO Council
By Lindsay Thompson, BIS
Nov 28, 2011 - 1:50:44 PM

The Bahamas delegation at the 27th Regular Session of the Assembly of the International Maritime Organisation in London, November 21, 2011. Pictured from left to right are His Excellency Paul Farquharson, High Commissioner and Permanent Representative to the IMO; Efthimios E. Mitropoulos, Secretary-General of the IMO; Ian Fair, Chairman, Bahamas Maritime Authority; Peter Goulandris, Vice-Chairman, Bahamas Maritime Authority; Commodore Davy Rolle, Director & CEO, Bahamas Maritime Authority; and Captain Doug Bell, Deputy Director, Bahamas Maritime Authority.

NASSAU, The Bahamas - The Bahamas was successful in its bid for election to the Council of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) under Category “C”, at the 27^th Session of the IMO Assembly in London from November 21 to 30, 2011, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced.

Category C is open to those 20 states which have special interests in maritime transport or navigation and whose election to the Council will ensure the representation of all major geographic areas of the world.

The Bahamas exemplifies the highest credentials in each of these areas, according to the IMO.

His Excellency Paul Farquharson, Bahamas High Commission and Permanent Representative to the IMO headed a Bahamian delegation to the IMO Assembly. He was accompanied by Ian Fair, Chairman of The Bahamas Maritime Authority; Peter Goulandris, Vice Chairman, Bahamas Maritime Authority; and Commodore Davy Rolle, Director & CEO, Bahamas Maritime Authority

The Bahamas has served on the Council from 1991 to 1995 and from 1999 to the present, and has actively participated in the work of the Council during these periods.

“The Commonwealth of The Bahamas remains committed to the legal and normative framework governing maritime transport and safety, and has thus acceded to all of the major IMO Conventions as well as the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and relevant International Labour Organisation Conventions,” the ministry said.

Ian Fair, Chairman of The Bahamas Maritime Authority in his address to the 27^th Session, highlighted the fact that The Bahamas has a long and distinguished history as a maritime nation. It became a member in 1976 and has acceded to the major international Conventions administered by the IMO as well as the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention.

The Bahamas accommodates 56 million gross tons on its Ship Registry; cruise ships making up nine percent. Mr Fair said. He also stated that The Bahamas is justly proud of its Port State Control (PSC) record, with the country being on the White List of every PSC Memorandum of Understanding.

“The Bahamas highly values her membership in the IMO. The Bahamas will thus continue to work constructively with all members of this organisation in pursuit of the goals of the Assembly. Moreover, we will work with all to ensure they are fully addressed,” Mr Fair said.