Maritime Policy Workshop Delivered for IMLI
From 23-26 November, students from the International Maritime Law Institute (IMLI) participated in a seminar focused on National Maritime Transport Policy (NMTP). The virtual seminar was facilitated by the World Maritime University (WMU) and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and highlighted the importance of good governance practice to guide planning, decision making and legislation in the maritime sector.

The seminar provided the opportunity for students to take part in a practical group exercise during which they further explored the NMTP concept and formulated the key aspects of a maritime transport policy for an imaginary State. The seminar is being held for its fifth consecutive year, thanks to the continuing collaboration between IMO and its two global maritime training institutions – WMU and IMLI. This year’s instructors on behalf of WMU were Professors Laura Carballo Piñero, George Theocharidis and Associate Professor Henning Jessen.
The NMTP concept is being promoted by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) as a good governance practice to guide planning, decision making and legislation in the maritime sector and as a key driver for a country's sustainable development.
At the request of IMO, WMU made modifications to the existing Training Package that contains an Instructor’s Manual with nine modules for the 3-Day Workshop and five sessions for the One-Day Seminar, as well as a Manual for Pedagogics, to accommodate the online delivery by electronic means. The topics covered included Defining and Designing Transport Maritime Policy, Strategies and Objectives, the Development Process, clarifying the role of International Maritime Law and its integration in policy making, Economic Maritime Setting and delineating national priorities, Environmental Rationale and mainstreaming it into the policy process, Safety and Security factors and recognizing the value of Seafarers in maritime policy.
IMO and WMU have cooperated on the delivery of NMTP Training Packages to several countries since 2016, including Antigua and Barbuda, Cambodia, Chile, Fiji, Georgia, Ghana, Kenya, Mexico, Myanmar, Nigeria, Seychelles, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, Thailand and Timor-Leste. It has also been delivered to students at WMU.
WMU’s delivery of NMTP training reflects its capacity building mission and a commitment to the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, in particular, Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development and Goal 17: Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development.
News about the seminar can also be found on IMO’s website.
Find out more about the National Maritime Transport Policy concept, what it is and how it works, by watching IMO’s NMTP video, here.

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When I made the decision to embark on the journey of pursuing both my MScand PhD degrees, the World Maritime University (WMU) beckoned me for severalcompelling reasons. Foremost among these was WMU's sterling reputation as aworld-class institution within the maritime sphere, a factor that wieldedsignificant influence over my choice. Given my extensive background as a seniorprofessional in the maritime operational field, having held the role of acaptain, I was in search of an academic environment that could serve as a nexusfor both enriching my knowledge and providing a platform for the disseminationof my wealth of industry experience.
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