The Panama Canal expansion will contribute positively to climate change issues and to the reduction of CO2 emissions.

So said Kitack Lim, Secretary General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), while speaking at a recent IMO Maritime Safety Committee meeting.

Lim highlighted the Panama Canal expansion in his remarks and the effect it will have on the reduction of CO2 emissions, contributing to the IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee’s work to prevent and control ship pollution globally.

“I’d like to extend our wholehearted congratulations to the government of Panama and the stakeholders involved in the successful expansion,” said Lim. “We believe that the expanded Panama Canal will be very beneficial to the international shipping industry, which is an important part of global logistics, and it plays a critical role in supply chain management around the world.”

The expansion “will contribute to the reduction of climate change issues and CO2 emissions,” Lim added. “In every sense, we will all benefit from the successful expansion of the Panama Canal.”

The IMO Secretary-General’s speech followed comments by the Panama Canal’s Captain Miguel Rodriguez, chairman of the Board of Inspectors. Rodriguez reiterated that the expanded canal, which was inaugurated on June 26, will have a great effect on global commerce. He also discussed the extensive training conducted at the canal’s state-of-the-art training centers to prepare workers to maneuver vessels in the new and original waterway.

The IMO is the specialized agency of the United Nations focused on the safety and security of the international shipping industry, and the prevention of ship pollution. The IMO also addresses legal affairs, including issues relating to liability and compensation, as well as the facilitation of international maritime traffic.