Captain Ian McNaught, unveiling the optic; to his right (in hte picture) is Secretary-General Koji Sekimizu
IMO was today (24 September) presented with the optic of a decommissioned lighthouse.
Trinity House, which acts as the the General Lighthouse Authority (GLA) for England, Wales, the Channel Islands and Gibraltar, donated the lens from Orfordness Lighthouse, which was completed in 1792 on the east coast of England and guided mariners until it was decommissioned in 2013. The optic lens was installed in 1914 and served for 99 years.
IMO Secretary-General Koji Sekimizu said the optic, now installed in the delegates’ lounge at IMO Headquarters in London, would serve as an icon to IMO delegates from all over the world, pointing them in the right direction to navigate the future work of the Organization.
Captain Ian McNaught, Deputy Master, Trinity House unveiled the optic alongside Secretary-General Sekimizu in front of delegates attending a World Maritime Day symposium at IMO HQ. Mr. McNaught said the icon symbolized safety of mariners – a prime objective of both the International Lighthouse Authority (IALA) and the International Maritime Organization.
