World Maritime Day theme 2024

IMO World Maritime Day theme for 2024 is "Navigating the future: safety first!"

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World Maritime Day 2024

The World Maritime Day 2024 will take place on 26 September 2024. This year's World Maritime Day theme is "Navigating the future: safety first!". Several initiatives will be held to commemorate the Day, including: 

  • WMO-IMO Symposium on Extreme Maritime Weather: The event will focus on `Bridging the Knowledge Gap Towards Safer Shipping’ and will take place on 23-26 September 2024 at IMO Headquarters, London. Read more details here. 

  • Lighting up landmarks: IMO Headquarters will be bathed in blue light in the evening of the day to promote this year's theme. IMO invites Member States, intergovernmental organizations in cooperation with IMO, and non-governmental organizations in consultative status with IMO to light up landmarks. Please find the 2023 photo gallery here. Read more details here.


  • Social media participation: IMO invites Members States and everyone in the maritime industry to celebrate the day by using the hashtag #WorldMaritimeDay and tagging IMO on social media (X, formely Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn). 

IMO Secretary-General Message

Watch IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez video message on the World Maritime Day theme 2024:

 

World Maritime Day Parallel Event 2024

The World Maritime Day Parallel Event (WMDPE) will be held in Spain from 20 to 22 October 2024.

The event will consist of a number of high-level panel discussions focused on IMO's theme for 2024: "Navigating the future: safety first!", featuring prominent international speakers who will offer insight into several relevant subjects. The full programme will be available in due course. Information on the event, including registration, hotels and the various activities, will be available soon on the official website at: https://www.transportes.gob.es/maritimo. Participants are invited to register in good time via the event's website. Queries about the event may be sent to wmdpe2024barcelona@transportes.gob.es.

Please see more details here. 

Navigating the future: safety first!

The 2024 World Maritime Day theme "Navigating the future: safety first!" reflects IMO's work to enhance maritime safety and security, in tandem with the protection of the marine environment, whilst ensuring its regulatory development process safely anticipates the fast pace of technological change and innovation.

This theme will allow us to focus on the full range of safety regulatory implications arising from new and adapted technologies and the introduction of alternative fuels including measures to reduce GHG emissions from ships as IMO strives to ensure the safety and efficiency of shipping are maintained, and potentially improved, so that the flow of seaborne international trade continues to be smooth and efficient.

Safety has been at the heart of all of IMO's activities since the Organization was established in 1948. The regulatory framework is continuously evolving as gaps become apparent and as a result of IMO's proactive work to anticipate changes needed to accommodate emerging technologies and innovation – a prominent example being the currently ongoing development of a goal-based Code for maritime autonomous surface ships (MASS Code).

2024 marks 50 years since the adoption of the 1974 SOLAS Convention, the key IMO treaty regulating maritime safety.

The theme is also closely linked to the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and several of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 7 on ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy by facilitating access to clean energy research and technology; SDG 8 on promoting sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all; SDG 9 on building resilient infrastructure, promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialization and fostering innovation; SDG 13 on taking urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts; and SDG 14 on conserving and sustainably using the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development. Read more here.