RSIS-MPA Distinguished Public Lecture by Mr Koji Sekimizu, RSIS-MPA Distinguished Visiting Fellow; and Former Secretary-General, International Maritime Organization

Lecture Abstract:

Mr Koji Sekimizu was the former Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) from 2012 to 2015. Having spent 26 years in the IMO, Mr Sekimizu was actively involved in and contributed to the development of several key conventions and initiatives on maritime safety and security, anti-piracy, review and reform in IMO and sustainable international shipping.

At this upcoming talk, Mr Sekimizu will be speaking about his work at the IMO, which included formulating international standards, rules and treaty instruments such as the Annexes to MARPOL Convention and codes under SOLAS. He was also very active in promoting IMO projects on GloBallast and the Marine Electronic Highway as well as anti-piracy and maritime security issues such as the creation of the Djibouti Code of Conduct.

Mr Sekimizu will also share his experiences as an international civil servant and as someone who has served the United Nations as head of an agency. Mr Sekimizu will talk about his aspirations, in particular what he had aimed for and what he thinks he has achieved in IMO. He will also talk about his hopes for the future of the organization.

About the Speaker:

Koji Sekimizu started his career as a ship inspector with Japan’s Ministry of Transport and joined IMO as Technical Officer in the Sub-Division for Technology, Maritime Safety Division in 1989. Since then, he has been the Director of Marine Environment Division and later the Director of Maritime Safety Division before his appointment as the IMO Secretary-General in 2012. During his term as the Secretary-General of IMO, Mr Sekimizu was also the Chancellor of the World Maritime University. Mr Sekimizu was appointed as a RSIS-MPA Distinguished Visiting Fellow on 1 May 2016 for two years.

This event is co-organised by RSIS and the Maritime Port Authority (MPA).