The Government of Canada has provided a financial contribution of CAD 500,000 (around USD 393,000) in an effort to support the Polar Code and sustainable development goals, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) said.
Kitack Lim, IMO Secretary-General and Janice Charette, Canada’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) at IMO Headquarters in London on November 23.
As explained, the MoU aims to deliver training programs for seafarers on board ships operating in polar waters, in line with The International Code for Ships Operating in Polar Waters, better known as the Polar Code.
The code, which entered into force on January 1, 2017, sets out mandatory standards that cover the full range of design, construction, equipment, operational, training and environmental protection matters for ships making polar voyages.
Under this initiative, Canada agrees to finance four regional train-the-trainer workshops on the implementation of the Polar Code and assign IMO as the responsible agency for the management and execution of these activities.
The financial support will also go towards activities related to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particular SDG 14, which addresses life below water.