Update from the IMO

It’s been a busy week for us at the IMO, co-organising a major international symposium while also gaining valuable insights from another impactful event.

On Thursday and Friday, we proudly supported the 3rd International Maritime Human Factors Symposium, welcoming over 150 maritime experts to the IMO headquarters. The symposium explored a broad range of topics, including human-centred design, maritime safety, risk and safety management, training, and seafarer wellbeing.

In collaboration with Strathclyde University, Chalmers University, WMU, NTUA, CHIRP, Istanbul Technical University, IMarEST, and Inmarsat, this symposium has become a world-leading forum for academia, industry, and regulatory bodies to exchange ideas and insights on the human element. Our keynote speaker, Mr BingBing Song, Head of the IMO’s Maritime Training and Human Element subdivision, set the tone by repeatedly emphasising the importance of the seafarer in his opening address. All speakers reinforced the critical role of the human element in maritime operations.

The importance of this topic was emphasised by the unfortunate news on Friday that a “series of human errors” had led to the grounding and sinking of HMNZS Manawanui on 5 October 2024, as announced by the Royal New Zealand Navy. This incident resonated deeply with symposium participants and was discussed during the breaks, highlighting the urgent need for a better understanding of the human element across all maritime sectors.

Earlier in the week, the IMO also prioritised training, this time for the delegates involved in shaping maritime regulations. Across two intensive days, new IMO team members and representatives, including some from The Nautical Institute, participated in comprehensive sessions to better understand the processes behind developing and issuing IMO instruments.

Next week the IMO will host the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC). The Nautical Institute has accredited a delegation of experts who will advocate on behalf of our members and all seafarers focusing on key seagoing safety issues.