Every Year the International Maritime Organization (IMO) celebrates World Maritime Day. The exact date is left to individual governments but is usually celebrated during the last week in September. The day is used to focus attention on the importance of shipping safety, maritime security and the marine environment and to emphasize a particular aspect of IMO’s work.

This year World Maritime Day 2013 was observed during the week of 23 to 27 September.
The theme chosen in order to focus IMO’s efforts during 2013 on carrying out the commitments made at the UN conference on Sustainable Development, better known as Rio+20, held in June 2012 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The IMO council has endorsed a proposed by IMO Secretary – General Koji Sekimizu to adopt “IMO Conventions: Effective Implementation” as the World Maritime Day theme for 2014.
Addressing the IMO council meeting for its 110th session in London, Mr. Sekimizu said that IMO has, over the years built up an enviable track record of developing adopting new international conventions. There have been 53 in all, addressing safety, environmental issues, liability and compensation, and other topics.
Since 2005, a formal parallel event is held, hosted by an IMO member state. In 2013, the World Maritime Day parallel Event will be held in Peru, In 2014, it will be celebrated
in Morocco and in 2015, in Japan.
To watch Secretary General’s special message on this year’s World Maritime Day visit:
http://www.video.marinebiztv.com/videos.php?video=NjI2MQ=