Mokpo National Maritime University Polar Navigator Team Attends London Headquarters International Maritime Organization (IMO) Meeting

On November 1st last year, at the Grand Auditorium of Building 15 in the Government Sejong Complex, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries hosted the '2019 Mock International Maritime Organization (IMO) Assembly Competition,' where the Grand Prize and the Excellence Award were received. (Photo by Mokpo National Maritime University)

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Seo Young-seo] Mokpo National Maritime University (President Park Sung-hyun) announced that the Polar Voyager team, which won the grand prize at the ‘2019 Mock International Maritime Organization (IMO) Assembly Competition’ hosted by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries last November, attended the IMO meeting held at the London headquarters from January 15 to 24, observing the sessions on the 15th and 16th. The team members are Kim Ji-yeon (Department of Marine Mechatronics Engineering, Class of 2024), Kim Tae-woo (Department of Marine Mechatronics Engineering, Class of 2024), and Yoo Ye-rim (Department of Marine Mechatronics Engineering, Class of 2023) from Mokpo National Maritime University.

The recently held IMO meeting was the ‘NCSR 7th session (The Sub-Committee on Navigation, Communications and Search and Rescue (NCSR) 7th session)’.

This meeting covers all matters related to navigation safety, focusing on discussions of the 1972 International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (1972 COLREG), the Safety of Life at Sea Convention (SOLAS) regulations concerning navigation safety, ship communications, all matters related to search and rescue in distress situations, as well as reviewing regulations related to SOLAS Chapter IV (Radio Communications), the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS), and the International Convention on Search and Rescue (SAR).

Kim Ji-yeon, the team leader of the Polar Voyager team that won the grand prize, said, “As a student studying maritime subjects, it was a meaningful experience to directly observe the IMO meeting, which I have always admired, and to reflect once again on the role and importance of international organizations.” She added, “I was able to vividly feel the flow and atmosphere of the international organization meetings, where various agendas based on current issues in maritime safety are discussed, and member countries represent their national positions according to their interests while always maintaining humility and courtesy.”

In particular, she shared her impressions, saying, “It was really interesting and emotionally engaging to see the agenda discussing ‘Non-SOLAS Ships and POLAR CODE,’ which we directly presented at the ‘2019 Mock IMO Assembly Competition,’ and to observe how the positions of each country were represented.”