World Congress on Maritime Heritage to Discuss Ocean Governance

For centuries, humans have sought to create order in the oceans to facilitate trade, to use its resources and to govern the conduct of nations on the vast waters. It is no accident that nations fully utilizing the benefits of the oceans find economic and societal strength. Governance of these valuable resources has become increasingly important for trade as well as to meet geopolitical interests.

“Today, the need for all people to have a greater understanding of the oceans; their impact on the global economy and everyday lives, and how to govern the oceans in a sustainable manner has never been greater,” said Frederick Kenney, Director of Legal Affairs and External Relations at the IMO. To achieve Sustainable Development Goal 14 of the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development, requires careful consideration of the ocean governance mechanisms in place. But, just as importantly, the history of ocean governance will inform the future.”  

 The Inaugural World Congress on Maritime Heritage, being held from March 13 to 15, 2019 at Resorts World Sentosa in Singapore. The Congress will address current ocean governance mechanisms, both from how the oceans have been used as a pathway to project governance systems on land, and well as governing the oceans themselves. The Congress will also address the key role of the shipping industry in the world, oceans and sustainability, illuminate signature undersea archaeological and exploration activities, and connect these communities to provide a window into the future. Importantly, participants in the Congress will include public-facing stakeholders such as maritime museums and others who will help to carry the ocean governance story.

IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim will be a keynote speaker, along with top Singapore Cabinet ministers. Former Secretary-General Koji Sekimizu will open the Congress. Other topics being covered in the conference include how the ocean is a pathway to commerce and the global economy, a sustainable future, and cultural diversity. Additional features include “Why we must explore the past to navigate the future,” undersea commerce, tourism and maritime heritage in the global context, and regional breakout opportunities.

The Congress is being jointly organized by the Consortium for International Maritime Heritage and Resorts World Sentosa with support from the IMO, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), International Congress of Maritime Museums (ICMM), Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), and North American Marine Environment Protection Association (NAMEPA). 

Resorts World Sentosa is also official venue host for the three-day event which will include a program held at the revamped Maritime Experiential Museum, the only one of its kind in Singapore dedicated to the exploration of the iconic Maritime Silk Route. Housing a total of 15 immersive galleries, the attraction holds a combination of state-of-the-art visual projections and multimedia shows. Highlights include the Jewel of Muscat, an Arabian ship which made a tumultuous 138-day voyage from Oman to Singapore in 2010 using ancient navigational methods with a crew of 15, and the Typhoon Theater which simulates a sinking ship in a treacherous storm.

Registration for the Congress is now open. For more information on the program and invited speakers, visit the official website of World Congress on Maritime Heritage 2019 (wcmh2019.com).