IMO appoints Special Advisor on Maritime Security

The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has appointed Peter Adams, Head, Maritime Security, Maritime Safety Division, as “Special Advisor to the Secretary-General on Maritime Security”.

Adams is a former Royal Navy officer, Admiralty Pilot, and commercial harbour pilot. He has extensive operational and command experience, including enforcing UN sanctions in the former Yugoslavia; counter narcotics operations in the Caribbean; anti-piracy operations off the Horn of Africa; and suppressing maritime criminality in Hong Kong, China.

IMO has within its mandate to make trade and travel by sea as safe and secure as possible. Maritime security is at the core of the work of the organisation, whose mission entails the management and mitigation of any threats with the potential to compromise maritime security through the development of suitable regulations and guidance, as established by the IMO’s International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) 1974 and by other important instruments, including the Facilitation Convention and the SUA treaties.

Cyber security attacks, piracy and armed robbery against ships, unlawful acts, stowaways, drug smuggling and other illicit maritime activities are all threats to the maritime sector which need to be addressed. IMO is working to support Member States to combat these, through capacity building activities, especially in the Western Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Aden and the Gulf of Guinea. IMO also works alongside other UN entities to support counter terrorism activities.

These are all topics of fundamental importance to the work conducted by IMO and of utmost relevance for the international maritime community.

The appointment of the special advisor will support the provision of assistance and advice at the highest levels in IMO on maritime security matters and facilitate external engagement to support IMO efforts in this regard.