It also marked the conclusion of this year's IMO World Maritime Day parallel event in Panama City.
"I thank this great country, Panama for having hosted such an important event for the maritime world and I take this opportunity to congratulate you on the celebration of your Centennial of the International Ship Registry; I am honoured to have been with you these days sharing as brothers and discussing issues that will positively affect our seas,” said IMO secretary-general Kitack Lim.
“I want to emphasize the transcendental role of the human element that is played in the maritime industry, when operating those ships [in the future] without seafarers on board, would be only mega-structures. That is why it is essential to maintain the safety of navigation, human life at sea and prevention of pollution, all under a prism of assurance of decent work and liveability,” said Barakat handing over next year responsibility to Poland.
Nearly 400 delegates attended the three-day event in Panama that concluded by the now-traditional visit to the new locks of the expanded waterway after having listened to a presentation by Panama Canal administrator Jorge Quijano.
"Panama is once more reiterating its commitment to IMO initiatives by making them available to its more than 600,000 seafarers and officers who sail on board of our more than 8,000 Panama-flagged vessels navigating international waters," concluded Minister Barakat.
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