International Maritime Organization (IMO) Secretary-General Efthymios Mitropoulos gave a lecture in Athens on Tuesday on the theme “IMO’s Work and Mission”, which was organized by the Diplomatic Academy at the foreign ministry.

The event was also addressed by Deputy Foreign Minister Yiannis Valinakis, who referred to Greece’s protagonist role in world shipping and to its contribution to the strengthening of IMO.

Greece is in first place among EU member-states with 22 per cent of total capacity, while Greek-owned ships amount to 16 per cent of world capacity, Valinakis said. 

The deputy foreign minister added that “our country’s strategic target for a viable shipping growth is at the epicenter of interest for the European Union in particular, following the issuing by the European Commission of the Green Book for the New European Policy for the Sea.”

Mitropoulos, expounding on IMO’s work and mission, in view of the new diplomats and officers of Merchant Shipping, spoke about the organization’s primary targets, “which concern the safety of international shipping, in which these past years, particularly after September 2001, also added has been the aspect of terrorism and of illegal activities and the protection of the environment.” 

President of the Republic Karolos Papoulias will award IMO Secretary-General Mitropoulos for his contribution, during a special ceremony on Wednesday.

Source: Athens News Agency

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