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Shipping is indispensable to the world. That is the message being shared around the world today (29 September), as IMO and the global maritime community celebrates the annual World Maritime Day.

World Maritime Day is an official United Nations day. Every year, it provides an opportunity to focus attention on the importance of shipping and other maritime activities and to emphasize a particular aspect of IMO's work.

Each World Maritime Day has its own theme. For 2016, the theme is "Shipping: indispensable to the world" – chosen to focus on the critical link between shipping and the everyday lives of people all over the planet, and to raise awareness of the role of IMO as the global regulatory body for international shipping.

"As the World Maritime Day theme for 2016 so rightly acknowledges, shipping is indispensable to the world – and is set to remain central to world economic growth as we make the inevitable transition towards an era of clean and sustainable development," said IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim in his annual World Maritime Day Message.

World Maritime Day Forum 2016
IMO is hosting a debate on global shipping's future challenge, at IMO Headquarters on 29 September. The event will belivestreamed from 3:15 p.m. local time.

Online participants are encouraged to take part via Twitter using the following handle and hashtag: @IMOHQ#WorldMaritimeDay

World Maritime Day Parallel Event 
The World Maritime Day Parallel Event will be held in Turkey in November 2016. 
Visit www.worldmaritimedayturkey.com/ for further details. 

Source: IMO press briefing; 29/09/2016