Message from the Secretary-General
Welcome to the first 2019 edition of the IALA e-Bulletin, and Happy New Year to all our readers! I have every confidence that 2019 will be another year of dynamic progress for both IALA and the World-Wide Academy (WWA).
The very busy 68th session of the Council, held at our Headquarters in December, marked the end of a memorable 2018 with the highly successful 19th IALA Conference in Incheon surpassing all expectations. This was the first Council session for Ms Young-shin Kim of the Korean Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries in her capacity as IALA President. The Council completed its extensive agenda, with many positive results for strategy and policy, budgetary matters, technical activities, and the work with IALA’s partner international organizations.
Very encouraging is also the growth in the membership. The Council approved two new National members, from Angola (Instituto Hidrografico e Sinalização Maritima) and Madagascar (Agence Portuaire, Maritime et Fluviale). Their successful application is a clear sign of IALA’s growing outreach in Africa. Both had already benefited from WWA missions.
The Council further approved seven new Industrial members (from Belgium, China, India, Indonesia, Iran and Norway) and one new Associate member (Poland), and endorsed an additional six members who had been provisionally approved. These were three Industrial members (from Canada, Papua New Guinea and Philippines) and three Associate members (from China, Denmark and Singapore).
The WWA also ended 2018 on a high note, reaching yet another milestone with the successful trial of a prototype “Master of Aids to Navigation Management” model course. Aimed at senior management personnel, this new course was formally approved by the Council. The delivery of the initial pilot course, in St Germain-en-Laye in December, proved very successful, with all 16 participants obtaining their certificate – including three IALA staff members (Senior Adviser Kevin Gregory, Technical Operations Manager Minsu Jeon and WWA Programme Manager Gerardine Delanoye).
Looking ahead, the next important step in the action plan for IALA’s transition to an intergovernmental organization is the third Preparatory Diplomatic Conference in Istanbul. I am grateful to the Government of Turkey for hosting this important event to enable National members and Governments to progress the multilateral negotiations in order to finalize the legal text of the new draft IALA Convention. Supported by the French Foreign Office, His Excellency, Mr Serge Ségura, French Ambassador for the Oceans, will once again be proposed to chair the Conference.
I invite all members to plan an appropriate occasion in their country or within their organization to mark the inaugural IALA World Marine Aids to Navigation Day, on 1 July 2019, as decided by the General Assembly in Incheon (Resolution A.13-04). Taking account of the excellent proposals received from the twelve members who submitted ideas by the deadline of 1 November 2018, the Council decided on a broad theme. “Marine Aids to Navigation: Successful Voyages, Sustainable Planet” reinforces the IALA motto for safe and efficient navigation and environmental protection.
Only by promoting greater awareness of IALA among the wider public and showcasing its significant technical work for world maritime safety will the ultimate goal of global harmonization of marine aids to navigation be fulfilled!
