In recognition of his exemplary services, Stefan Micallef was recently appointed assistant secretary general of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).

The most senior member of the IMO management staff, this is also the most senior position a Maltese citizen has ever held at IMO.

It follows on the heels of Malta’s re-election (in Category C) to the IMO Council last December, for the 11th consecutive time, plus the National Symposium which was held to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Malta’s initiative on the seabed and ocean floor.

This will see the Mediterranean region, as well as small island eco-nomies, better represented.

With a PhD in marine toxicology from the University of Wales, Micallef started his career in the UN as programme officer at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)/IMO – Regional Marine Pollution Emergency Response Centre for the Mediterranean Sea (REMPEC), which is based in Malta, together with the IMO International Maritime Law Institute (IMLI).

Micallef then joined UNEP’s Division of Environmental Policy Implementation in Kenya, as chief of the disaster management branch, before moving to the IMO headquarters in London, as head of the chemical and air pollution prevention section in the marine environment division, and then deputy director of the sub-division for pollution response and technical cooperation.

He was then appointed director of the marine environment division, as well as secretary to the Marine Environment Protection Committee and administrative secretary of the UN joint group of experts on the scientific aspects of marine environmental protection.

Through its re-election to the IMO Council, Malta aims to further consolidate its active role in maritime affairs.

Category C is for states that have special interests in maritime transport or navigation and whose election to the Council will ensure the representation of all major geographic areas of the world. Having been a member of the IMO since 1966, Malta believes real enhancement of maritime safety, security and pollution prevention standards at sea, and in port, can only be achieved through universal implementation of the IMO’s rules and regulations.

Sign up to our free newsletters

Get the best updates straight to your inbox:
Please select at least one mailing list.

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By subscribing, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing.