Message from the Secretary-General
Without doubt the General Assembly in Singapore was a huge success and I pay glowing tribute to our hosts the Maritime & Port Authority and our global membership who made it all possible. We shall not forget those days in the City State.
WWA seminars
In Singapore on 17 February, one day ahead of the General Assembly the Academy held two seminars: on the VHF Data Exchange System (VDES) and on the Safety of Navigation. Both were well attended.
VDES
The Singapore Maritime & Port Authority and the Japan Coast Guard hosted this seminar on the VHF Data Exchange System.
A total of 187 delegates, representing 50 countries and 2 sister organizations attended and the event featured presentations on relevant topics, with conclusions agreed on the same day.
Safety of Navigation
For members who provide maritime services worldwide the second seminar on 17 February was convened to exchange information and develop views on a number of topics.
This event was devised to explain the role of the World-Wide Academy (WWA) in global Marine Aids to Navigation harmonization and knowledge sharing.
Reports
Reports of these WWA seminars are available here:
https://www.iala.int/product-category/publications/reports-and-proceedings
First General Assembly
On 18 February the 1st General Assembly of the International Organization for Marine Aids to Navigation (IALA) commenced with opening speeches from the President Marcos de Almeida (Brazil), Singapore’s Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security, Teo Chee Hean, as well as video messages from IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez and IHO Secretary-General Mathias Jonas. IMSO Director General Laurent Parenté and Secretary-General Francis Zachariae also took the floor.
The Assembly began by adopting the Singapore Declaration, a pivotal document reaffirming IALA’s mission to harmonize Marine Aids to Navigation worldwide while embodying its motto, Successful Voyages, Sustainable Planet.
The Assembly then proceeded to elect: Brazil as President; India as Vice President and Francis Zachariae (Denmark) as Secretary-General.
On 20 February, delegates witnessed the signing of three Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) for the World-Wide Academy, in collaboration with Singapore, the Republic of Korea, and France, along with an MoU for technical cooperation between IALA and the Republic of Korea.
Member States also elected the new IALA Council, filling 23 seats plus the President and the Vice President thus: Albania, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, People’s Republic of China, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Norway, Romania, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, The Netherlands, Türkiye and United Kingdom.
1st Council meeting and future road map
On 21 February, IALA’s newly formed Council convened for the first time, where it: elected the Finance and Audit Group and its Chair; approved the 2025–2027 work programme for the committees; appointed the World-Wide Academy Board and designated Chairs and Vice Chairs for committees and subsidiary bodies.
To conclude delegates were invited to a technical visit at Raffles Lighthouse, providing a valuable insight into Singapore’s maritime infrastructure and AtoN operations.
Membership numbers
As at 10 March 2025 the Membership of IALA stood at:
Member States: 38 (States who have ratified the Convention).
Associate Members: 56 (Former National Members of the Association for which the State has not ratified yet, and territories).
Affiliate Industrial Members: 179.
Affiliate Members: 78 (former Associate Members of the Association).
The HQ agreement
After a successful 1st General Assembly the Headquarters agreement for the Organization was signed on 4 March in the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs at Quai d’Orsay, Paris.
Signatories were Francis Zachariae, Secretary-General of IALA and Madame Béatrice Le Fraper du Hellen, United Nations, International Organisations, Human Rights, Francophone Director, of the Government of the French Republic.
This Agreement is the official document stating that IALA can have its seat in France. It lists the benefits granted to the organization.
World Aids to Navigation Day 2025
WATON Day will be celebrated in London on 1-2 July.
See preliminary details: https://www.iala.int/news-events/world-marine-aids-to-navigation-day/world-marine-aids-to-navigation-day-2025/
Forthcoming events
Workshop on IMT for Marine AtoN
On International Mobile Telecommunication (IMT) for Marine Aids to Navigation to be held from 1–5 September 2025 in Karlsruhe, Germany
Workshop on Sustainability in AtoN provision
In association with Irish Lights this Workshop is to be in Dublin, Ireland, from 6 to 10 October 2025.
Communications
I urge all our readers to keep in touch with IALA by the website https://www.iala.int/
You can be informed there of forthcoming meetings, new publications, our news and, of course, the e-Bulletin which has proved to be of value in spreading the word.
All good wishes for your missions ahead, I expect we will meet again soon.
Francis Zachariae.
