The number of those seeking to occupy the seat of the Secretary General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has increased with the confirmation of the nomination of Kenya’s Mr. Juvenal Shiundu.
The IMO) has said that, by March 31, 2015 when nominations for the highly coveted position of its Secretary General, closed, six candidates have been nominated by their Governments for the position.
The present incumbent, Mr. Koji Sekimizu, ends his four-year term as Secretary-General on 31 December 2015.
The IMO said in a statement sent to Shipping Position Daily yesterday that “election for the post will be held at the 114th session of the 40-Member strong IMO Council, which meets from 29 June to 3 July 2015”. The IMO) has said that, by March 31, 2015 when nominations for the highly coveted position of its Secretary General, closed, six candidates have been nominated by their Governments for the position.
The present incumbent, Mr. Koji Sekimizu, ends his four-year term as Secretary-General on 31 December 2015.
It also added that “the decision of the Council will be submitted to the IMO Assembly, which meets for its 29th session from 23 November to 2 December 2015, for its approval.
According to the IMO, the nominations received included that of Mr. Andreas Chrysostomou of Republic of Cyprus, Mr. Vitaly Klyuev of Russian Federation, Mr. Ki-tack Lim of Republic of Korea. Other are: Dr. Maximo Q. Mejia Jr. of the Republic of the Philippines, Mr. Andreas Nordseth of Kingdom of Denmark and Mr. Juvenal Shiundu of Republic of Kenya.
There are speculations that the sudden emergence of Russia’s candidate may scuttle the edge earlier had by Danish Andreas Nordseth.
Nordseth’s stewardship of the Danish strategy has reputedly won him many allies among other IMO member states. A former seafarer, Nordseth also has a high profile among shipping circles in national governments as chairman of the Consultative Shipping Group (CSG), an informal diplomatic group of leading maritime nations meeting up outside the IMO. Denmark also hosts the CSG secretariat.
“Andreas Nordseth is popular among many governments of leading shipping nations as chairman of the CSG. But whether he would personally be interested [in the secretary-general position], we’ve no idea,” said one IMO insider.
Another name being mentioned is US Coast Guard (USCG) director of commercial regulations Jeffrey Lantz, who stood against Sekimizu in the 2011 election. But his name is missing on the list released by the IMO yesterday.
There is also some speculation over whether some of the IMO’s larger member states may feel it is time they were represented at the head of the secretariat given the large financial contribution they make to the organisation.
There is also a feeling politically that with representatives from Canada, Greece and Japan holding the position since 1990, it might be time for a developing country to take the role. Panama and the Bahamas are two flag states that could potentially put candidates forward. Both are Council members and among the highest payers into the IMO’s coffers.http://shippingposition.com.ng/article/kenya-joins-imo-secretary-general-race-body-confirms-six-candidates
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