By CARICOM
Photos: CARICOM
A CARICOM Technical Working Group on maritime matters held discussions on 18 December that focused on negotiations for measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the shipping industry.
It was the first time the Maritime Technical Working Group(MTWG) met since it was established following the 113th Special Meeting of the Council for Trade and Development (COTED) on Transportation that was held in June. Mr. Richmond Basant, Maritime Administrator, Maritime Services Division, Ministry of Works and Transport, Trinidad and Tobago, chaired the MTWG.
The Working Group deliberated on the negotiations on the mid-term measures to reduce the emissions which are critical to ensuring that the transition to a cleaner shipping industry remains just and equitable. Participants also benefitted from a presentation on effective and sustainable ocean management and governance, which hold significance for the Region’s blue economy.
In remarks to open the meeting, Dr. Wendel Samuel, CARICOM Assistant Secretary-General (Ag), Economic Integration, Innovation and Development, said the discussions were fundamentally important to the Region.
He said the Secretariat agreed to facilitate the discussions to allow Member States to provide updates and exchange views on the state of the negotiations; to discuss moving forward as CARICOM; and to explore possible next steps.
Dr. Samuel also extended a special welcome to the representatives of The University of the West Indies (The UWI), and the Maritime Technology Cooperation Centre (MTCC), the institutions which are conducting technical work to support Member States.
