May 4, 2018 - The 23rd General Annual Assembly of the Confederation of European Shipmasters' Associations, CESMA, is taking part today in Kotor, hosted by the Shipmasters’ Association of Montenegro.
In the welcoming address to the representatives of the European Shipmasters’ Association, the President of the Captains’ Association of Montenegro, Captain Mario Pilastro, and the President of CESMA, Hubert Ardillon, expressed great satisfaction that the meeting is attended by the Chief Executive of European Maritime Safety Agency EMSA, Markku Mylly.
CESMA was founded in 1995 and represents fifteen shipmasters’ associations, as well as many individual members in twelve European Union and future EU countries. The aim is to serve EU shipmasters at the European Commission and ensure they have their opinion heard in the European Parliament. CESMA has emerged as a stakeholder in the EU maritime industry. Matters concerning maritime safety, the marine environment and marine education and training, with particular reference to safeguarding the competence of EU seafarers, has already been brought to the attention of the EU Commission. The Confederation was and is represented in many European Commission programmes such as METNET, EMRF, MARNIS and SAGMAS and is involved in the Quality Shipping Industry Charter and the Planning Group of the EU Maritime Industries Forum. Apart from studying and presenting operational problems of the EU shipping industry, CESMA also provides consultancy and advice on practical aspects of shipping.
The annual assembly in Kotor began with a reflective part of the program organized by the Captains’ Association of Montenegro, who took advantage of the opportunity to thank the companies, institutions and individuals responsible for the development and promotion of maritime affairs in Montenegro. The plaques were delivered to the owner of the MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company Antonio Maresca, the owner of Dabinović Company Stevo Dabinovic, English language teacher at the Faculty of Maritime Studies in Kotor Tonka Caric, Captain Dragan Rapovac, journalist Sinisa Lukovic, Bokelian Navy Kotor, Maritime School in Kotor, the Faculty of Maritime Affairs of Montenegro and Azalea Training Center Bijela. The event was attended by the rector of the University of Montenegro Danilo Nikolić and Deputy Commander of the Montenegrin Navy, Captain Jusuf Jonus.
The program then continued with three lectures. A naval architect with an international reputation and the owner of the MarDesign company from Rijeka, Croatia Ranka Vukasovic Botica spoke about "Applying EU Legislation on the Protection of the Marine Environment in Boka Bay," taking the opportunity to inform European guests about the geography and maritime history of Boka bay. It was an excellent introduction to the safety of sailing and pollution control of Boka bay by passenger ships and other navigational facilities. Vukasović Botica paid special attention to the issue of cruising, emphasizing the need to abide by international directives for reducing air pollution by exhaust gases, but also to estimate the ecological capacity of the bay in traffic planning. She concluded with the message: “However, the natural basis of Boka bay does not possess inexhaustible exploiting possibilities. There are natural limits, which suggest the necessity of limited and balanced development so that natural potentials would not be devastated or destroyed. Although the tourism industry must be developed following the idea of sustainable development, otherwise, in the long term, negative effects may be irreversible and lead to the reduced attractiveness of the tourist destination.”
Captain B. Baert, the Secretary-General of the Belgian Royal Naval Academy, held a professional lecture on the Simulator vs practice, while the Director of EMSA, Markku Mylly, presented the maritime legislation of the European Union which is under preparation.
The afternoon session is closed to the public and reserved for expert consultations which will result in the adoption of resolutions to be sent to EU bodies preparing and adopting maritime legislation, which concerns the improvement of the life and work of commander and seafarers on board, enhancement of maritime security and improving the protection of the marine environment. In addition, the goals of the 23rd annual assembly are to work in the interest of EU shipmasters and to promote high professional maritime standards, to improve maritime safety, to contribute in the protection of the marine environment, to inform the public in the EU about problems in the European maritime industry, and to retain and develop the highest maritime knowledge and experience in Europe, as well as to promote the maritime tradition of Boka bay, its rich cultural heritage and potentials for the development of congress tourism in Kotor.
After the working session, guests will have an organized tour of the Boka Kotorska by the Paris Kotor Coche d’Eau ship in the afternoon.
The General Sponsor of the 23 CESMA General Annual Assembly is the company MSC, while the Golden Sponsor is the company Luštica Development, whose marketing manager Damir Moškov presented the project Luštica Bay before the opening ceremony of the program. The 23rd Annual General Assembly of CESMA is supported by the Municipality of Kotor, Barska plovidba, CKB Bank, Crnogorska plovidba, Independent Workers' Union of Maritime Shipping and Transportation of Montenegro, Villa Miramare, NorMonte, Boka Adriatic, Sikimic Marine Services, Azalea Training Center, Hipotekarna Bank, Paris-Kotor Le Coche d'Eau, GPS / Jotun and MonteCrew.
