Ocean Governance: Notes on Green Shipping Transition Dynamics for Africa

By Ciku Karanja 

GOLI-Kenya Representative

Observations of the Regional Workshop on implementing the 2023 IMO GHG 

As the regional conference ended last week on Friday in the very warm coastal, Port City of Mombasa – the second largest city in the country of Kenya in East Africa, several interesting observations came to light.

With the promise of a final push to get required, ratification numbers for necessary assent to successfully adopt the strategic convention from African member states represented within the ambit of the collective 

Association of African Maritime Authorities (AAMA), the regional workshop was jointly hosted by Kenya’s State Department of Shipping and Maritime Affairs and International 

Maritime Organization (IMO)’s Marine Environment Division. 

The workshop was officiated by Mr Arsenio Dominguez, secretary general of the IMO, Mr Geoffrey Kaituko, principal secretary State 

Department for Shipping and Maritime Affairs Kenya, Ms Devotha Mandanda, president of the association for women in the maritime sector Eastern and Southern 

Africa, Mr Brain Wessel, director general, Danish Maritime Authority, and host, acting director general Mr Julius Koech of Kenya Maritime Authority.

The workshop witnessed global representation, continental presence and private sector participation in the drive towards operationalizing MARPOL Annex VI, developing maritime decarboxylation assessment and action plan for Africa.

The presence of dignitaries, industry experts and 

practitioners, observers, financiers and other stakeholders signified the importance of 

the event and the anticipated outcomes thereof.

Coordinated delegates working groups addressed various workstreams such as

sustainable shipping, governance, shipping and port infrastructure development, green 

energy and corridors, job creation and training skills, all within a relatively short 2-day 

window.

Agenda presentations, deliberations and outcomes were ably handled under 

the event moderator, deputy director of Marine Environment of the KMA, Mr Elijah Mbaru, and program led under immediate former director of trade facilitation of MOESNA, Ms Mwanaulu Issa (in transition to a new role at the IMO).

Whilst a lot of good is expected to result from the eventual adoption of green fuels and 

emerging technologies in the drive towards decarbonisation of the shipping industry, 

several concerns, among opportunities, came to light.

The Good, certainly, is in the best interest of member states, and the world in general, to rally 

behind the adoption of GHG emission mitigation measures, especially so, for African.

With reference to sea farers and on- and off-shore employment, the IMO has also introduced an “Ocean-Care” program to aid in addressing healthier working environments for maritime 

personnel.

Additional information suggests that integrating tele‑medicine and remote 

psychosocial support, guaranteeing 24/7 access to both qualified medical advice and 

mental‑health professionals via satellite connectivity, in line with IMO‑ILO joint 

recommendations on prompt medical assistance at sea.

Additionally, based on United Nations sustainable development goals, specifically Goal 4,

“Life below water”, we collectively are lagging on agreed targets globally relating to achieving 

healthy, resourceful, and sustainable oceans.”

As of May 2024, global marine protected area coverage reaches only 8.12%, falling short of the 10 percent goal under SDG 14.5; while 

national waters achieve nearly 19.3 percent protection, areas Beyond National Jurisdiction 

lag at just 1.45 percent, underscoring the urgent need for accelerated treaty ratifications and 

expanded high‑seas conservation efforts.

Nevertheless, the KMA’s

Marine Environment docket and Maritime Education Training and Labour, are well aligned

policy-wise with strategic plans for the continuous improvement of both maritime and marine 

requirements.

Their ‘Got to Sea campaign’ tapping into youth and women employment for 

sea cadet jobs on board vessels, on-going since 2018, deserves merit and emulation. Regional programs and shared continental projects are also encouraged.

Ocean governance follows several above-and-below-water trajectories to achieve the best possible ocean benefits of environment, socio-economic, food and mineral resources, 

among others.

Ocean literacy is primed to go a long way in informing and re-awakening positive policy actions, whilst mitigating risks of the worsening scenarios witnessed in recent 

times of biodiversity loss, climate change and pollution apart from some exacerbated by growing geopolitical unrest negatively affecting sea trade and safety.

For the benefit of deliberate ocean futures planning, investing in our children’s ocean 

education is no longer a luxury, but a well intentioned and practical future-proofing 

mechanism of intentionally creating a better informed, conscientious, resource base of tomorrow’s ocean stewardship.

We have work to do on blue curricula realisatio…