Kwaku Ofori Asiamah
Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), Kitack Lim, has called for increased advocacy for the decarbonisation of shipping on the African continent.
He particularly urged the Minister of Transport, Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, to use his good office to advocate the objectives of the Organization which included decarbonisation of shipping.
Mr. Lim made the recommendation when a delegation of international maritime experts paid a courtesy call on President Akufo-Addo at the Jubilee House.
The request by Mr. Lim follows Mr. Asiamah’s invaluable contribution and commitment to green shipping in Ghana and the African continent.
With this advocacy role, the Transport Minister, who is also Chair of the Maritime Organization for West and Central Africa (MOWCA), is expected to garner more interest on the African continent regarding the green shipping transition agenda.
The objective of MOWCA is to serve the regional and international community by handling all maritime matters that are regional in character.
MOWCA unifies 25 countries on the West and Central African shipping range, inclusive of five landlocked countries.
These countries comprise 20 coastal states bordering the North and South Atlantic Oceans, and they are expected to provide the maritime link for landlocked countries to facilitate the seaborne trade of those that are landlocked.
In February 2023, Accra made history by successfully hosting the first-ever Shipping Decarbonization Conference which brought together over 200 high-profile dignitaries from over 20 countries and other stakeholders in the maritime industry to discuss and explore the challenges and opportunities for green shipping in Africa.
The goal of the two-day green shipping conference was to explore not only the challenges but also the opportunities for African countries that lie within this green transition.
It was also aimed at preparing Africa for the crucial transition to cleaner fuels for shipping and to explore the availability of Partnerships and the importance of Africa’s participation in Global Regulations.
Green shipping refers to efficient and environmentally friendly shipping practices that reduce the use of resources and energy to preserve the global environment from Green House and environmental pollutants.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri