"New technologies for greener maritime transport ", world maritime motto for 2022.

"New technologies for greener shipping" has been chosen by the IMO as the global maritime motto for 2022, reflecting the need to support an ecological transition of the maritime sector towards a sustainable future, leaving no one behind.

The IMO Council, meeting at its 125th session (June 28-July 2), approved the matter at the proposal of IMO Secretary General Kitack Lim.

Mr. Lim said the theme would provide an opportunity to focus on the importance of a sustainable maritime sector and the need to better and greener rebuild the post-pandemic world.

"IMO actively supports a greener transition of the shipping industry to a sustainable future. New technologies for greener shipping also provide an opportunity to showcase maritime innovation, research and development, and the demonstration and deployment of best practices, including innovative financial and support solutions, "said Mr. Lim.

"To achieve these goals, partnerships are key as they enable all stakeholders to share and distribute information on best practices and access to general knowledge and resources to support the transition of the maritime sector to a greener and more sustainable future. This slogan will allow for a coordinated outreach and communication campaign by all stakeholders to highlight IMO initiatives to make shipping more environmentally friendly, "said Mr. Lim.

The proposed theme will give flexibility to the Secretariat, Member States and observer organizations to focus on the importance of a sustainable maritime sector and the need to better and greener rebuild the post-pandemic world, while allowing activities delve into specific issues related to fostering inclusive innovation and the adoption of new technologies to support the needs of a greener transition in the maritime sector, especially in the context of developing countries, and in particular of small island states in development (SIDS) and least developed countries (LDCs).

IMO's Partnerships and Projects Department was created in 2020 to serve as a gateway to developing partnership opportunities with a wide range of external partners, including IMO Member States, UN agencies, financial institutions. , NGOs, IGOs ​​and the private sector.

Decarbonisation, marine plastic debris and biofouling are some of the topics already being addressed in major IMO projects, such as GMN, GloFouling Partnerships, GreenVoyage2050 and GloLitter Partnerships. All these projects aim to support and promote innovation and green technologies.