Among the nationalities represented are Ukraine, Bahamas, Liberia, Thailand, Mauritania, New Zealand, Philippines, Suriname, Togo, Uganda, and Kuwait, among other countries from different regions of the world, reflecting the international scope of this initiative and its importance for strengthening the capacities of Maritime Authorities.
The activity is part of the six international courses offered by the Prefectura Naval Argentina, which were duly presented to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) with the purpose of promoting technical cooperation, sharing specialized knowledge, and contributing to the professional development of officials from Member States' Maritime Administrations.
The opening of this first edition featured welcoming remarks from the Director of Navigation Security Police, Prefecto General José Fernando Dos Santos, who highlighted the importance of these training instances for strengthening the States' capacities in terms of supervision and control of vessels operating in their ports.
The training will be conducted by instructors from the Navigation Security Police Directorate, who will transmit the knowledge and experiences acquired by the Institution in the exercise of Port State Control functions.
The program includes the main international instruments applicable to navigation safety, prevention of marine environment pollution, working and living conditions on board, as well as the procedures and technical criteria that officers must observe during inspections of foreign vessels entering port.
A particularly relevant aspect of this proposal is that the participating officials currently serve, or are projected to serve, as Port State Control Officers, and will be able to integrate their respective countries' delegations in the various regional and international Memoranda of Understanding (MoU). In this way, the training not only contributes to strengthening individual capacities but also promotes the harmonization of criteria and procedures among different regions of the world.
This constitutes a milestone for the Institution and, particularly, for this first edition, which allows for the international projection of the technical knowledge and professional experience of its instructors, generating a space for exchange among authorities responsible for ensuring compliance with international standards applicable to maritime transport.
The initiative, coordinated by the Secretariat for International Affairs of the Prefectura Naval Argentina, represents a new advance in the internationalization process of the institutional educational offerings and reaffirms the Institution's commitment to technical cooperation and the strengthening of the capacities of Maritime Administrations.
In this way, the Prefecture continues to put its experience and knowledge at the service of the international maritime community, contributing to a more effective and harmonized application of international standards and to the consolidation of safer, more efficient, and sustainable maritime transport.
