The Panama Maritime Authority (AMP) reaffirmed its commitment to the adoption and application of international regulations to reduce the environmental footprint of the maritime sector during the first regional workshop “Maritime decarbonization through technological energy efficiency solutions”.
“We are committed to moving towards cleaner, more efficient maritime transport aligned with international standards,” said Volney Guinard, Secretary General of the AMP, who stressed that this meeting encourages the exchange of experiences and knowledge to improve the application of environmental regulations in the sector.
Meanwhile, Rina Berrocal, deputy director general of the General Directorate of the Merchant Navy of Panama (DGMM), highlighted that the country has updated its policies for the control of emissions of sulfur and other pollutants in maritime fuels.
These measures ensure compliance with international regulations and strengthen supervision in the shipping industry.
“The country has worked on the implementation of international regulations on maritime safety and pollution prevention, including Panama’s accession to Annex VI of the MARPOL agreement in March 2013,” said Berrocal.
This annex sets out rules of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to prevent air pollution caused by ships.
For his part, the rector of the International Maritime University of Panama (UMIP), Víctor Luna Barahona, stressed the importance of international cooperation to face the challenges of the decarbonization of maritime transport.
In the same vein, the European Union ambassador to Panama, Izabela Matusz, reaffirmed European support for this initiative and emphasized that reducing emissions in the maritime sector is a strategic priority to move towards more sustainable economies.
In this context of global commitment against climate change, Carlos Salgado, representative of the IMO, highlighted Latin America’s leadership in adopting measures to reduce CO2 emissions in global maritime transport by 2050.
“Today we are closer than ever to achieving our environmental ambitions, and this workshop is proof of that,” Salgado stressed.