Georgia joins global roundtable supporting sustainable maritime transport
Participants of the inaugural meeting looked for concrete opportunities to help accelerate global financing for sustainable shipping, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge
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Permanent Representative of Georgia to the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Tamar Beruchashvili joined the first global roundtable on financing sustainable maritime transport (FIN-SMART) today.
The FIN-SMART Roundtable is a platform for regular dialogue among key maritime stakeholders on addressing the financial challenges related to the ‘transition of shipping to a more sustainable and resilient future’.
The roundtable aimed to support accelerating financial flows - particularly in developing countries - for the decarbonisation of the maritime sector, in line with country priorities and the goals of the IMO Initial Strategy on the reduction of GHG emissions from ships.
#Georgia ???????? joined 1st the FIN-SMART Roundtable-new platform for regular dialogue of key #maritime stakeholders to address financial challenges related to transition of shipping to a more #sustainable &resilient future.THY to #IMO & @EBRD teams! @IMOHQ @MTA_Georgia @agenda_ge pic.twitter.com/4dSqygbTk0
— Tamar Beruchashvili - თამარ ბერუჩაშვილი (@tberuch) October 27, 2020
In his remarks, IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim highlighted the importance of maritime transport in the global economy ‘as an engine of growth and a driver of social development’.
He further called for strong support to accelerate finance for sustainable maritime transport, in particular in decarbonisation and sustainable recovery post COVID-19 pandemic.
These will be only possible with targeted investment and strategic partnerships, particularly addressing special needs of developing countries, LDCs and SIDS,” he said.
Participants of the inaugural meeting looked for concrete opportunities to help accelerate global financing for sustainable shipping, especially in low- and middle-income countries.
Priorities and investment opportunities across the maritime supply chain, as well as addressing barriers to financial flows and harnessing support for country reform efforts have been identified among the options.
Global Transport Manager at the World Bank Binyam Reja said ‘shipping is not only a cornerstone to international trade, but it is also key to sustainable development’.
By helping unlock sustainable maritime investment and finance, FIN-SMART will both promote the decarbonization of the sector and create in-country business opportunities and jobs”, he said.
Over 50 senior officials who participated in the inaugural meeting included representatives from IMO, EBRD and the World Bank Group as well as participants from the maritime industry, donor countries and other States.
The FIN-SMART Roundtable will meet regularly promising to bring in additional important stakeholders to the discussions.
'Georgian maritime sector moving closer to Europe'
The Georgian Black Sea town of Batumi, which is home to the country's State Maritime Academy, is celebrating World Maritime Day today. EU Ambassador to Georgia Carl Hartzell marked the day and noted the European Union and Georgia have been working step-by-step to ensure that the Black Sea becomes a bridge 'that unites us and brings us closer together'.
Batumi State Maritime Academy will receive students in its Poti branch for the first time in 2021.
The Adjara region of Georgia has become a full member of the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR) as well as the Commission on the Black Sea and the Balkans, announces the Government of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara.
Georgia is improving maritime security, sea-search and rescue operations as well as protection of marine ecology by joining the Long-Range Identification and Tracking (LRIT CDC) system, announces the Maritime Transport Agency of Georgia.
In order to support the fishing sector and increase the production of fish in Georgia, the export promotion agency Enterprise Georgia will fund the construction of a new fishing ship. The first three-party memorandum has already been signed between Enterprise Georgia, TBC Leasing and the owner of the fishing ship.
Poti Maritime Academy, a branch of the Batumi Maritime Academy, has been opened in the Georgian port city of Poti which will be able to receive 1,000 students in 2021. Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia said that about seven months ago, the site of this building was in ruins and no one could have imagined that in seven months, it would be possible to begin studies here.