Updated programme - Joint IMO/ILO Conference on Work at Sea, 13 November 2023

The Joint IMO/ILO Conference on Work at Sea will focus on sharing best practices, views and experiences to ensure the rights of seafarers and fishers, identify gaps in the current regulatory framework, and explore how governments, industry, IGOs and NGOs can collaborate to improve the relevant international maritime legal framework.

Media attendance: please advise if you plan to attend to media@imo.org 

The conference will include sessions on the following:

• Ensuring rights at sea:  Best practices for responsible ship management; Ensuring respect of seafarers' rights at all times: Lessons learned from COVID-19.
• Maritime regulatory framework:  Key ILO and IMO Conventions for the fishing sector: Opportunities and challenges; Maritime regulatory framework and enforcement, what else is needed?.
• Perspectives for the future:  Seafarers in a digitalized and automated shipping industry; Navigating the Future.

Speakers: Opening session

Mr. Kitack Lim, Secretary-General, International Maritime Organization (IMO)

Mr. Gilbert F. Houngbo, Director-General, International Labour Organization (ILO)

Mr. Guy Platten, Secretary General, the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS)

Mr. Stephen Cotton, General Secretary, International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF)

Conference programme: The conference programme is available here: Joint IMO-ILO Conference -programme -media.pdf

Joint-IMO-ILO-Conference-Work-at-Sea.aspx 

Session 1.1: Best practices for responsible ship management Moderator: Ms. Corinne Vargha, Director, International Labour Standards, ILO Mr. Mark Dickinson, General Secretary, Nautilus International Mr. Tim Springett, Policy Director, Employment and Legal, UK Chamber of Shipping Mr. Kuba Szymanski, Secretary-General, InterManager Mr. Ian Trebinski, Group Director, HSSEQ, V.Group Mr. Eric Banel, Director-General for Maritime Affairs, Fisheries and Aquaculture, France

Session 1.2: Ensuring respect of seafarers’ rights at all times: lessons learned from COVID19 Moderator: Ms. Dorota Lost-Sieminska, Director, Legal Affairs and External Relations Division, IMO Mrs. Victorina Hesti Dewayani, Director, Legal Affairs and Socio-Cultural Treaties, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Indonesia Ms. Mayte Burgos, Chief, Maritime Labour Affairs Department, Panama Maritime Authority Mr. Helio Vicente, Director, Employment Affairs, ICS Mr. Jonathan Warring, Senior Legal Assistant, ITF Ms. Linda Sørensen, Head of HSEQ and Human Factors for Frontline, Golden Ocean, Avance Gas, Flex LNG, SFL and Seatankers 

Session 2.1: Key ILO and IMO Conventions for the fishing sector: opportunities and challenges Moderator: Mrs. Heike Deggim, Director, Maritime Safety Division, IMO Mr. Brandt Wagner, Head, Transport and Maritime Unit, Sectoral Policies Department, ILO Mr. Cagri Kucukyildiz, Technical Officer, Maritime Safety Division, IMO Mr. Selwyn D. Bailey, Fishing Safety Specialist, Fishing Unit, South African Maritime Safety Authority Mr. Ment van der Zwan, Europêche spokesperson in the EU Sectoral Social Dialogue Committee on Sea Fisheries Ms. Luz Baz, ITF Inspector, Spain

Session 2.2: Maritime regulatory framework and enforcement, what else is needed? Moderator: Mr. Stewart Inglis, Swiss Shipowners Association, ICS Labour Affairs Committee Mr. Jan de Boer, Senior Legal Officer, Legal Affairs Office, IMO Mr. Ismael Cobos Delgado, Deputy Director, Sub-Division for Operational Safety and Human Element, IMO Mr. Benito Núñez Quintanilla, Director General for the Merchant Marine, Spain Prof. Lia Athanassiou, Member of the ILO Committee of Experts in the Application of Conventions and Recommendations ITF inspector (name to be confirmed) Dr. Michelle Grech, Manager Vessels Operations, Australian Maritime Safety Authority 

Session 3.1: Seafarers in a digitalized and automated shipping industry Moderator: Mr. Fabrizio Barcellona, Assistant Section Secretary, Seafarers, Fisheries and Inland Navigation, International Transport Workers' Federation Mr. Andreas Nordseth, Director General, Danish Maritime Authority Mrs. Mayte Medina, Chief, Maritime Personnel Qualifications Division, Commercial Regulations and Standards Directorate, U.S. Coast Guard, Chair of MSC Mr. Jeroen Deelen, Chief Operating Officer, Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement (BSM) Ms. Khanssa Lagdami, ITF Seafarers Trust Assistant Professor, Maritime Labour Law & Policy, WMU Mr. Deog-hee Doh, President, Korea Maritime and Ocean University Mr. Haakon Storhaug, Coordinator of international affairs, Norwegian Maritime Authority 

Session 3.2: Navigating the Future Moderator: Mr. Brandt Wagner, Head, Transport and Maritime Unit, Sectoral Policies Department, ILO Mr. Bekir Sitki Ustaoglu, Head, Asia and Pacific Section, Technical Cooperation Division, IMO United Nations Global Compact (name to be confirmed) Mr. Branko Berlan, ITF Accredited Representative to IMO Mr. Arvind Natrajan, Senior Marine Adviser, ICS Dr. Jean Ver P. Pia, Maritime Attache, Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines 

Closing -  Mr. Gilbert F. Houngbo, Director-General, International Labour Organization (ILO) Mr. Kitack Lim, Secretary-General, International Maritime Organization (IMO)

Interview bids: Conference speakers may be available for interview. Please email interview bids to media@imo.org. 

Media attendance: please advise if you plan to attend to media@imo.org