Launching of the website of Russia's candidate for the IMO Secretary General post
An official website has been launched for the Russian candidate nominated for the post of Secretary General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
The nominee is Vitaly Klyuev, Deputy Director, the Department of State Policy for Maritime and River Transport of Russia's Ministry of Transport. Vitaly Klyuev's official portal www.klyuev.pro is available in English and will be providing real-time news from the candidate's campaign office. Besides, the website gives an opportunity to ask the candidate any questions.
About IMO
The London, UK headquartered International Maritime Organization (IMO) is a specialised agency of the United Nations with 171 Member States and three Associate Members. The IMO's primary purpose is to develop and maintain a comprehensive regulatory framework for shipping and its remit today includes safety, environmental concerns, legal matters, technical co-operation, maritime security and the efficiency of shipping.
In 1948 an international conference in Geneva adopted a convention formally establishing IMO (the original name was the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organization, or IMCO, but the name was changed in 1982 to IMO).
The IMO Convention entered into force in 1958 and the new Organization met for the first time the following year.
The IMO's activities are aimed among others at the abolition of discriminatory practices affecting international merchant shipping, as well as at the adoption of rules on maritime safety and the prevention of pollution of the environment from ships, primarily the marine environment. The IMO has a staff of about 300 people.
In a sense, the IMO is a forum where member-states can share information, discuss the legal framework, technical and other issues related to shipping and pollution of the marine environment.
Currently, the IMO Secretary-General is a representative of Japan Koji Sekimizu. He has visited the Russian Federation several times and took part in the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping, and also was a passenger of the Russian nuclear-powered icebreaker traveling on the Northern Sea Route.
Voting for the IMO Secretary General post will begin in June 2015. The new Secretary General of the IMO will assume the office from January 1, 2016.
Russia is a member state of the IMO since the organization inception.
- The sea coastline of Russia is about 38000 km long covering two continents (Asia and Europe);
- There are 68 sea ports having access to three oceans (Arctic, Atlantic, Pacific);
- Participating in most of the IMO Conventions in force;
- Merchant fleet comprises over 7000 vessels (not including small boats);
- Icebreaker fleet (including nuclear powered vessels) is the biggest in the world;
- Over 60 bilateral maritime related agreements;
- More than 20 maritime educational institutions, more than 30 training centers, 16 STCW certification offices;
- More than 10 SAR centers and sub-centers, more than 40 SAR vessels.
Candidate profile
Vitaly Klyuev graduated from the Far-Eastern High Engineering Maritime College, Navigation Faculty, Vladivostok, Russia, 1985. He was also qualified at the Institute of International Relationships of the Far-Eastern State University, Vladivostok, Russia, 2002 and obtained an academic degree: Doctor of Transport.
The candidate career summary: Far-Eastern State Maritime Academy (at present: Maritime State University), Vladivostok, Russia, 1985. Maritime Authority of the seaport of Vladivostok, Vladivostok, Russia. Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia, 2006.
International maritime activity:
- Chairman of the Committee of the Tokyo MOU on PSC;
- Chairman of the Committee of the Black Sea MOU on PSC;
- Vice-Chairman of the Committee of the Paris MOU on PSC;
- Head of Russian delegations to various IMO meetings since 2007;
He visited more than 50 IMO Member States located on all continents when involved in maritime related activities (bilateral and multilateral meetings, international events).