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Panama maintains category A in the IMO Council with an absolute majority of votes
Once again, Panama hosted their traditional Panama party for all IMO Delegates and guests, attending this week the 31st session of the IMO Assembly at IMO Headquarters in London, from 25 November to 4 December 2019.
We had the opportunity to meet the new team that has taken the reins of the world’s largest registry under a new Administration. Headed by the Shipping Minister & Administrator of the Panama Maritime Authority “AMP”, H.E. Engineer Noriel Arauz, who was accompanied by Deputy-Administrator Capt. Samuel Ferreira-DeSouza, Secretary General Ms. Elvia Bustavino, Special Adviser Mr Fernando Solórzano, and last but not least, the new Director of Shipping Engineer Rafael Cigarruista. They were visiting London from the Panama HQ where they steer the world’s oldest and largest shipping registry, to participate in this week’s discussions and elections, where Panama was seeking re-election as a member of Category A at the IMO Council,
John Gauci-Maiste, the IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim with Mrs. Manju Mehrotra and Dr. Ravi Mehrotra
It has been confirmed few moments ago that Panama will maintain its place after having received 149 votes in its favour to continue in the category A of the IMO Council, together with China , Greece , Italy, Japan, Norway, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.
A live vibrant young band of Latin music brought high energy to the evening, and a sumptuous spread of traditional Panamanian food made specially for the occasion by the catering department of the IMO.
In attendance was also IMO Delegation of Panama to London headed by Ing. Luis Bernal and Naval Architech Anays Berrocal , as well as the staff of the Consulate in London, the Regional and Segumar-London Office.
Sofia and Sergio Allard with Mrs Lynn Eskildsen (c)
We met with old friends, and distinguished guests were present from all the IMO delegations attending the sessions this week, including IMO Secretary General HE Lim Ki-tack, and IMO staff, as well as classification societies, flag state representatives, lawyers, ministers of transports and shipping, heads of organisations, regulators, seafarers, shipowners and shipmanagers, WISTA members – you name it. Among the well-known shipping personalities were Dr. Ravi K. Mehrotra, CBE, Executive Chairman, Foresight Group and Mrs Mehrotra, Chairman, Mr. Haralambos J. Fafalios and Kostas Amarantidis from the Council and the Secretariat of the Greek Shipping Co-operation Committee, Dr. Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry, President of the World Maritime University. Wista-UK member Maria Ester Bobadilla from Patton, Moreno & Asvat. Mr John A. Gauci Maistre K.M., founder and CEO of the GM Group in Malta, Eskildsen & Eskildsen partner and founder, Mr Ricardo Eskildsen and his wife Lynn Eskildsen, Ing Lino Arosemena from Talleres Industriales in Panama, and many more.
Sofia and Sergio Allard with Maria Dixon (c)
A traditional national dress “pollera” delighted the guests and was worn by the Panamanian couple Mrs Sofia Allard and her husband Sergio Allard, who works at the Seafarers Regional office in London.
We also had the opportunity to meet the new Ambassador and Consul General of Panama in the UK, H.E. Natalia Royo. Ms Royo has a Degree in Arts from the University of New York, a postgraduate degree in Cooperation and Development and a Master’s degree in International Relations. On two occasions Ms Royo has been a political and economic affairs advisor at the Panama Embassy in Spain, and has worked as a special advisor at the Ibero-American Secretariat (SEGIB). Furthermore, she has represented the country as a counsellor in the delegation of Panama to UNESCO; and she was the coordinator of the Rio Group in the Permanent Mission of Panama at the United Nations. We wish well to the Panamanian Delegation in today’s elections and toast for the Panamanian continuous success of the registry in the future.
