IMO Launches Train-the-Trainer Programme on Alternative Fuels for Maritime Transport

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has launched its global Train-the-Trainer programme on alternative fuels for sustainable maritime transport. The first training session, held from 14 to 18 April 2025, brought together 35 participants at the Maritime Technology Cooperation Centre (MTCC-Asia), hosted by Shanghai Maritime University.

The course, implemented by the World Maritime University (WMU), is designed to equip maritime professionals with the skills to train others on key decarbonization fuels—ammonia, methanol, and hydrogen. It is part of the broader Baseline Training Framework for Seafarers in Decarbonization project, carried out in collaboration with the Maritime Just Transition (MJT) Task Force and the IMO Secretariat.

A Structured, Scenario-Based Training Approach

Initially piloted at WMU in December 2024, the course has since been refined based on post-training evaluation surveys. Updates include additional hands-on sessions, scenario-based learning drawn from real-world case studies, and demonstrations of equipment and safety procedures.

A Broad, International Participation

IMO-sponsored participants came from:

• Bangladesh

• India

• Indonesia

• Malaysia

• Pakistan

• The Philippines

• Thailand

• Vietnam

Self-funded participants represented:

• China

• Hong Kong (China)

• Japan

• Republic of Korea

• Singapore

Additional participants included MTCC Asia staff, NGO representatives, and industry experts nominated by members of the Maritime Just Transition Task Force, including:

• UN Global Compact (UNGC)

• International Chamber of Shipping (ICS)

• International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF)

• Lloyd’s Register Foundation

This initiative is a major step toward building global capacity to support the transition to low- and zero-emission fuels, ensuring that maritime professionals are well-prepared to drive decarbonization within the sector.

IMO Welcomes Amendments to the Maritime Labour Convention: Seafarers Officially Recognised as Key Workers

Seafarers are set to benefit from improved living and working conditions following the adoption of key amendments to the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC), 2006. These changes reaffirm the international community's ongoing commitment to ensuring fair treatment, enhancing safety and welfare at sea, and acknowledging the essential role seafarers play in global trade.

The International Maritime Organization (IMO), which participated in the Special Tripartite Committee (STC) meeting on the MLC at the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Geneva (7–11 April 2025), has welcomed the developments.

Key Amendments Adopted:

• Protection against violence and harassment on board;

• Designation and recognition of seafarers as key workers;

• Stronger rights to shore leave, contributing to seafarers’ health and well-being;

• Facilitation of repatriation procedures;

• Requirement for States to cooperate and consider the IMO/ILO Guidelines on the fair treatment of seafarers in the event of a maritime accident, as well as the newly adopted guidelines on the fair treatment of seafarers detained for alleged crimes;

• Recommendation for vessels to carry up-to-date medical information and guidance available to the person responsible for onboard medical care.

The amendments will now be submitted for approval at the upcoming International Labour Conference, scheduled from 2 to 13 June 2025. If adopted, they are expected to enter into force by December 2027.

Additional Resolutions

Alongside the amendments, the Special Tripartite Committee adopted several key resolutions. Notably relevant to the IMO are:

• The recommendation to extend the mandate of the joint ILO/IMO Tripartite Working Group (JTWG);

• The final review and update of the ILO/IMO joint abandonment database;

• Continued cooperation on matters related to seafarers’ welfare.

This session reaffirmed the strength of tripartite dialogue and multilateral cooperation in delivering meaningful and effective solutions to global challenges in the maritime sector.

📄 Full text of the adopted amendments: www.ilo.org/resource/other/text-amendments-adopted-11-april-2025

IMPA Launches the 2025 Safety Campaign / Survey

From 16 to 30 May 2025, the IMPA Safety Campaign / Survey 2025 will officially open—an essential initiative to improve pilot safety. All pilots are encouraged to report compliances and non-compliances observed during service. Submissions are anonymous and no registration is required.

As of today, the International Maritime Pilot’s Association (IMPA) represents over 8,200 pilots across 53 countries.

As in previous years, participation requires the use of the dedicated mobile app, available on major platforms. Access is granted via a password provided in the members’ private area on the Fedepiloti website.

• iOS download: App Store link

• Android: [To be confirmed]

More details available on:
🔹 IMPA Official Website
🔹 Fedepiloti Website

About IMPA
The International Maritime Pilot’s Association was founded in June 1970 by pilot associations from five continents, whose representatives first gathered in Kiel, Germany. The organization was officially launched in Amsterdam in May 1971.

Today, IMPA is a non-profit international body whose primary goal is to promote professionally sound and safe pilotage practices worldwide.

New Parliamentary Intergroup on the Blue Economy Launched in Rome

A new Parliamentary Intergroup on the Blue Economy has been officially launched in Rome, an initiative spearheaded by Senator Simona Petrucci (Fratelli d’Italia) and supported by 41 Members of Parliament. The aim is to give national prominence to the sea as a strategic resource—long underestimated but essential for the country’s economic development.

“The Parliamentary Intergroup on the Blue Economy was created to provide concrete support through projects, initiatives, data, and sectoral studies, ultimately leading to actionable proposals and targeted, effective legislation,” stated Senator Simona Petrucci, President of the Intergroup, during the press conference held at the Senate.

“We are talking about a sector that stretches along 8,000 kilometers of coastline, generating a total value of €178 billion—about 10% of the national GDP—with 227,000 companies and over one million workers.”

“We’ve already begun drafting a list of key topics we want to focus on. I want to thank the 41 MPs from across the political spectrum and from every corner of Italy who have joined the Intergroup. This cross-party and nationwide approach will be one of our greatest strengths.”

The Intergroup will also be supported by a technical advisory committee, which will help ensure each topic is addressed with professionalism and accuracy.

Key focus areas will include:

• Sustainable fishing

• Port infrastructure

• Employment and workforce training

• Innovation

• Streamlining bureaucracy

“We’re ready to make a meaningful contribution across all these areas,” Petrucci concluded.

Source: Adnkronos.com

Blu Livorno: The First Edition of the Biennale of the Sea and Water, 14–17 May 2025

Blu Livorno – Biennale of the Sea and Water, taking place from Wednesday 14 to Saturday 17 May 2025, is a new event promoted by the Municipality of Livorno, in collaboration with major public and private stakeholders. The initiative highlights the city’s deep maritime vocation and its strong connection to the sea in all its forms, aiming to address relevant themes and forward-looking perspectives that affect entire coastal communities.

Livorno aspires to become the “capital of the sea”, focusing on the environment and sustainability, but also on economy and technological innovation. The event follows two parallel tracks: a scientific one, and a mainstream one, open to outreach, public information, and the touristic promotion of Livorno as a city of water, sea, and hospitality.

At the heart of the Biennale is the strategic goal of activating a concrete dialogue between coastal administrations and their stakeholders to identify shared solutions to common challenges. Through the analysis of best practices, the application of scientific knowledge, and the sharing of experiences, the Biennale seeks to develop sustainable strategies for coastal management within regulatory, scientific, institutional, and economic frameworks.

From the collection of issues raised by local territories to their analysis by the scientific and economic communities, and finally their return to the public: the results of this process will be stored in a digital repository on the official website of the Biennale, which will also host the proceedings of conferences and roundtables.

The subtitle of this first edition, “The Thin Blue Line”, refers to the fragile boundary—both physical and symbolic—where land meets sea, and along which the contradictions of contemporary society are most evident, calling for a rethinking of the relationship between humans, the sea, and water in a more sustainable way.

“With this practical approach,” stated Luca Salvetti, Mayor of Livorno, “we aim to build and strengthen institutional communication channels that, starting with the Region of Tuscany and ANCI (National Association of Italian Municipalities), extend to dialogue with other Italian and Mediterranean regions, and involve the Italian government and European institutions.”

From the outset, the Biennale presents itself as an event of national and international scope, with the involvement of the Italian Parliament, the European Commission, and the Conference of Peripheral and Maritime Regions of the European Union. At the national level, the participation of the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security, the Ministry for Civil Protection and Maritime Policies, and various research bodies and scientific institutions has already been confirmed with great enthusiasm.

The main focus of Blu Livorno will be on environmental and sustainability topics, but the event will also include themes such as blue economy, technological innovation, training, and scientific dissemination. The structure of the discussions will vary—scientific, technical, educational, or informative—with the goal of exploring development prospects and already-active solutions to tackle degradation phenomena threatening coastal communities.

The Biennale will also address the issue of social sustainability, paying special attention to beach accessibility, inclusion, and hospitality—core elements of Livorno’s history and identity. An identity encapsulated in the city’s motto, “Diversis Gentibus Una”, and illustrated by Mayor Salvetti in his recent publication “Here No One Is a Stranger. Stories of Migrants and Hospitality.”

The topic of safety at sea will not be overlooked: while the sea is a place of life and connection, it is also the site of tragic memories. Remembering those who lost their lives at sea is crucial—not only to seek truth and justice—but also to prevent similar tragedies from recurring.

“Our goal,” concludes Salvetti, “is to make Livorno a reference point for marine science, but also a cultural hub of the Mediterranean: a bridge between sea-facing communities united by the shared objective of preserving marine ecosystems and ensuring sustainable life along the coasts.”

A key event of particular interest will be the conference:
“The Evolution of Shipping Companies Over the Last Twenty Years: Market Dynamics and Environmental Sustainability”,
scheduled for 14 May, and promoted by the Propeller Club Port of Leghorn, moderated by maritime lawyer Luca Brandimarte and journalist Pietro Roth.

The full programme is available at: www.biennalelivorno.it