London — Indonesia has been re-elected member of the Council of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) of C Category for 2018-2019.
The decision was announced at a session held at the IMO headquarters in London on Friday, Indonesian Ambassador for Britain, Ireland and IMO Dr. Rizal Sukma said.
“Certainly we are grateful with the re-election of Indonesia member of the IMO Council,” Dr Rizal, who led an Indonesian delegation at the meeting, said.
Indonesia is given a higher ranking and won larger votes in the Friday`s election compared with the previous period, he said here on Friday night.
Transport Minister Budi Karya Sumadi addressing the IMO Assembly meeting, which was led by Mr. Rolando Drago Rodr?guez from Chile, said Indonesia, as a world`s largest archipelago, is committed to continuing efforts to help guarantee shipping safety and security to support global economic growth.
“As the world`s largest archipelago, Indonesia has an extraordinary inter-island connectivity,” the Indonesian Minister said.
Indonesia, therefore, would continue to cooperate with IMO in seeking to bring to reality the country`s ambition to become a World Maritime Axe, a vision presented by President Joko Widodo at IMO in April, 2016, the Minister said.
Ambassador Rizal Sukma said the re-election of Indonesia indicated recognition of the IMO members of active role played by the country in global maritime sector and success of diplomacy in global maritime management and prevention of sea pollution.
As a member of the IMO Council Indonesia played a strategic role in determining global agenda and policy in maritime affairs, he said.
Indonesia wants to use its membership in IMO Council to bring to reality the vision of the government as a global maritime fulcrum for national interest, he added.
Election of new members of the IMO Council is held on the sidelines of the 30th session of the IMO assembly meeting which takes place from Nov 27 to end Dec. 6.
The Indonesian delegation to the assembly meeting is made up of officials from related agencies, industries and associations including state-owned energy company Pertamina, state port operator Pelindo, state shipping company Pelni, and the Indonesian Shipping Association (INSA).
IMO is a U.N. agency in charge of maritime safety and security and prevention of sea pollution.
There are three categories of IMO Council — A, B and C. A Category has 10 member countries with largest fleet, B Category also has 10 member countries with biggest interest in the use of shipping service and C Category has 20 member countries not including in A and B Categories but have specific interest in sea transport or navigation.
