Indonesia’s membership on the council of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) provides an opportunity to improve our maritime security and the quality of our marine products.
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Indonesia’s membership on the council of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) provides an opportunity to improve our maritime security and the quality of our marine products.Indonesia was inducted last week as a Category C member of the IMO council for 2019-2020. Category C comprises 20 countries with “special interests in maritime transport or navigation” whose inclusion “will ensure the representation of all major geographic areas of the world”.
An important element of IMO membership is evident in the council’s duties. The council determines the policy direction and drafts international maritime laws that will affect national interests. The IMO’s main duties are to establish and maintain the sea transportation regulatory framework, including security, environmental protection, laws, technical cooperation, shipping safety and efficiency and industries.
As the world’s largest archipelagic nation, Indonesia’s membership on the IMO council is well deserved. As a council member, Indonesia has an improved bargaining position in its strategic role to maintain shipping management and security around the world, including Indonesia. Furthermore, Indonesia will be involved in planning a framework for shipping and logistics transportation, as well as relevant regulations, which will affect the country’s sovereignty. Indonesia will also benefit economically.
Thus far, Indonesia has been actively participating to ensure shipping protection and security. Among Indonesia’s proposals to the IMO was recognition of the Indonesian Archipelagic Sea Lane (ALKI) and their branches. In line with Law No. 6/1996, the ALKI is Indonesia’s national shipping lane that foreign vessels and airplanes can use for normal shipping and flights with continuous transits, direct and fast routes. Indonesia has three ALKIs that run north to south and vice versa.
Maritime regulation is expected to be more complex and important in the future. Geopolitical changes in Asia shows that China has a huge interest in dominating the South China Sea, which has raised growing concerns in East Asian countries over free, safe and undisrupted sea transportation.
Security in marine trade faces constant obstacles, including piracy in Indonesian, Singaporean and African waters.
A technical cooperation framework is also important to prevent piracy and armed robbery at sea for countries with maritime borders.
Indonesia also has an important role in developing technical cooperation for combating climate change. The increase in the surface temperature of the Earth will cause rising sea levels that will affect archipelagic and coastal countries. A technical cooperation framework is also important to prevent piracy and armed robbery at sea for countries with maritime borders.
The sea is our future. We have yet to give our best attention to the sea for the prosperity of Indonesians and the world. Indonesia’s membership on the IMO council must answer to these needs