People play a central role in the development of new technologies to help shipping meet its environmental goals and protect the marine environment say Jamaican maritime leaders.

As the maritime community comes together to celebrate World Maritime Day with its theme of New Technologies for Greener Shipping, Jamaica’s Transport Ministry and Maritime Authority have stressed the importance of ensuring people are also at the heart of maritime technological advances.

Jamaica’s Minister of Transport and Mining, the Hon. Audley Shaw, CD, MP, pledged: “We will leave no one behind,” as he endorsed the green transition of the maritime sector into a sustainable future.

And Rear Admiral (ret’d) Peter Brady, Director General of the Maritime Authority of Jamaica (MAJ) echoed comments made by the IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim, stating: “These ambitions will benefit everyone”.

In his World Maritime Day message, Minister Shaw pointed out that, as a Small Island Developing State, the ocean is an invaluable resource for Jamaica and, in Jamaica’s case, this area is 23 times the country’s land mass. “It is therefore imperative that we support and implement mitigation strategies to reduce the maritime transport carbon footprint,” he said.

“In an era where technology is the driving force behind many economies and sectors, the maritime sector is no different, and we must develop and implement new technology to work toward our goals of having greener, safer and more sustainable maritime spaces,” the Minister commented.

Addressing the World Maritime Day theme, Rear Admiral Brady observed: “While the digitalisation and automation of shipping processes can help shipping meet its environmental targets, including reducing harmful emissions and preserving biodiversity, we must not forget that seafarers need support to embrace change and learn new skills.” He said the MAJ will work closely with maritime educational institutions to ensure seafarers are able to upskill and to operate safely onboard modern ships.

“We will also ensure people are central to our focus as we work towards achieving a sustainable maritime sector and protecting our marine environment for generations to come,” he commented.