VOTE OF THANKS

by

REAR ADMIRAL PERVAIZ ASGHAR HI(M) (RETD)

DIRECTOR GENERAL NCMPR

Thanked Capt Aftab Siddiqui for accepting our invitation and addressing the faculty/students of Bahria University

Re-emphasized the importance of the day and the contribution made by maritime industry professionals and seafarers to the world’s economy.

Re-emphasized the importance of the maritime sector:

•  The Oceans cover nearly 71% of the earth’s surface

•  More than half the world’s population lives near the sea

•  Seas as well as inland waterways like the Indus furnish the cheapest medium of transportation of people and goods over vast distances

•  At any one time more than 20,000 ships can be seen plying on the world’s oceans

•  The scale of transportation bears no comparison. An oil bowser on land can carry upto 10,000 litres at most, whereas a supertanker at sea can carry upto 300,000 tons.

•  Sea cargoes get traded multiple times through the internet before they even reach their destination

•  95% of this communication takes place under the sea via submarine cables

• The Sea is also a rich source of energy and minerals

Global shortage of seafarers, especially officers, exists.  Next year’s projected shortfall is expected to be around 84000.  IMO has launched a ‘Go to Sea’ campaign since Nov 2008 in association with ILO, ITWF and various shipping NGOs.

The theme of this year’s World Maritime Day is ‘Piracy: Orchestrating the Response’.  The Six-pronged Action Plan which the IMO has prepared revolves appropriately on safeguarding the interests of the maritime industry, providing care to affected seafarers and their families, generating greater anti-piracy cooperation and building the desired capacity to deter, capture and prosecute.

Thanked the worthy speaker once again for comprehensively covering the assigned topic, thanked the audience for their patience/attentiveness and thanked the presenter, Ms Sana Tahir, for conducting the proceedings in an impeccable manner.