AMSA – World Maritime Day

Press Release: Today is World Maritime Day and this year’s theme of ‘Sustainable Shipping for a  Sustainable Planet’ is a fitting one for 2020, Australian Maritime Safety Authority Acting  Chief Executive Officer Sachi Wimmer said. 

“This has been a year of environmental, human health and economic crises, and the  shipping industry has not been immune,” Ms Wimmer said. 

“We are facing major challenges, from international shipping disasters to the impacts of  COVID-19 on crew changes, but the spirit of cooperation and strength for which the maritime  industry is well reputed, will ensure we rise to meet them. 

“The three pillars of sustainability are environmental, social and economic and all of these  are manifesting as challenges now. 

“Nonetheless, we are making progress towards greater sustainability on all fronts in the  maritime industry but there is more work to do.” 

Ms Wimmer said reducing marine pollution was a priority area for Australia. 

“In the last two years, major container spills from international ships have polluted Australian  waters with plastic packaging and other harmful materials and this is in addition to ongoing  pervasive pollution from plastics,” Ms Wimmer said. 

“In May this year we successfully completed the largest shipping container spill clean-up in  Australia’s history following the disastrous container spill from YM Efficiency back in 2018, which left more than 80 containers strewn across important fishing grounds off Newcastle. 

“Just weeks later and under very similar circumstances, APL England dropped dozens of  containers off Sydney. For weeks, face masks and other plastic materials washed ashore on  some of Australia’s most treasured beaches, including Bondi. 

“We have a world-leading system for responding to pollution incidents from shipping, but  preventing such incidents from happening in the first place is just as important as reacting to them and we will be working with our international partners in the International Maritime  Organization (IMO) to do this.” 

Ms Wimmer said Australia was strongly committed to reducing plastic pollution from the  marine environment to safeguard Australia’s pristine waters, and the marine ecology. .  

“Macroplastics like water bottles and fishing gear, and microplastics from synthetic products, persist in the marine environment and result in harmful effects on marine life and  biodiversity, human health, tourism, fisheries and shipping,” Ms Wimmer said. 

Australia took a lead role in developing the IMO’s Action Plan to Address Marine Plastic  Litter from Ships and is strongly committed to developing the range of measures under the Action Plan, that will both reduce pollution and minimise the amounts of plastic carried by  ships.  

“We are also proud to have successfully reduced air pollution through the implementation of  the 2020 sulphur cap – a measure that has significantly reduced the sulphur oxides from  shipping fuel emissions. This improves air quality, particularly for the many millions of  Australians who live in coastal communities near ports. 

While we are addressing key environmental concerns, Ms Wimmer said we need to also  balance that work with the wellbeing of people and economies. COVID-19 is placing an  unprecedented amount of pressure on the maritime industry which is critical for trade and  employment. 

“Seafarers’ contracts are being extended by shipping companies due to border closures, a  lack of aviation services and quarantine arrangements which vary around the world, making  crew changes logistically challenging,” Ms Wimmer said. 

“Seafarers are carrying an enormous burden to keep essential goods like food and medical  supplies moving throughout the pandemic. Flexibility on contract extensions has been  essential to supporting trade, but cannot continue indefinitely. 

“Australia is well known for upholding seafarer rights to decent working and living conditions,  and for our research into fatigue and human factors. We know that fatigue has contributed to  a number of serious maritime accidents here in Australia and abroad. 

“While hundreds of seafarers have been repatriated as a result of AMSA’s interventions in  recent months, there are many more hundreds of thousands who are still out there on ships around the world. 

“Both industry and governments have a responsibility to facilitate crew changes to ensure  the health and wellbeing of our seafarers, and the safety of our seas.” 

Ms Wimmer said World Maritime Day 2020 was a reminder to pause and reflect on the  importance of having a truly and holistically sustainable shipping industry for a sustainable  planet. 

“We are all intrinsically connected to the ocean and it is our shared responsibility in  partnership with industry, big and small, domestic and international, to ensure we have  sustainable, safe and clean seas for many years and generations to come,” Ms Wimmer  said.

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