TEHRAN - Iranian Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref has said that the initial draft of the country’s Maritime-oriented Development Plan has been prepared by the government, IRNA reported.

The 14th government is determined to formulate and implement additional and more comprehensive plans and programs in the field of sea-oriented development,” IRNA quoted Aref as saying on Monday.

The Vice President also congratulated the World Maritime Day to the members of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in a message published by IRNA.

“Since the beginning of human creation, the sea has always been the field of communication and the platform for development and civilization. Those countries that have access to the sea have the potential to become powerful in various regional and global arenas, as well as the ability to develop faster. In any country, having access to the sea is a great opportunity for progress and maintaining national interests,” he said in his message.

Aref has also called on the Iranian authorities in charge of the country’s maritime sector to strengthen logistics and corridor routes, facilitate entering new markets, use smart technologies, strengthen employment, create large and small-scale production units in ports and coastal areas, modernize the commercial fleet and port equipment as well as the railway and road lines, and train responsible and efficient workforces for sea-oriented development while preserving and safeguarding the marine environment in compliance with international regulations and conventions.

He also emphasized the necessity for the country’s scholars and think tanks to help the government realize its plans for developing the maritime sector.

Head of Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO) Ali-Akbar Safaei also congratulated the World Maritime Day in a separate message published on Sunday.

In his message, Safaei mentioned the IMO’s world maritime theme 2024 which is "Navigating the future: safety first!" and said: “The International Maritime Organization has once again emphasized providing safety and the necessity of maritime security by choosing the slogan "Navigating the future: safety first!" for 2024; since its formation, this organization has always expressed concerns about protecting the marine environment against pollution caused by shipping in the framework of the International Convention for the Prevention of Marine Pollution (MARPOL).”

EF/MA