MONROVIA: Liberia’s Maritime Commissioner, Lenn Eugene Nagbe, has joined other maritime nations around the world in celebrating July 1 as the 5th World Marine Aids to Navigation (WAtoNs) Day.
The celebration was held under the theme: “Marine Aids to Navigation-Successful Voyages, Sustainable Planet.”
Commissioner Nagbe indicated that the celebration of WAtoNs Day is in accordance with a Resolution adopted on 29th May 2018 at the 13th General Assembly of the International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA).
The principal objective for the observance of World Marine AtoN Day is to promote greater awareness among stakeholders of the maritime community and the wider public about the significance of Marine Aids to Navigation in enhancing the safety of navigation worldwide.
The Liberian Maritime boss, in a statement issued on June 22, 2023, in saluting the Global Maritime Community asserted that the World Marine Aids to Navigation Day is also intended to promote and publicize all the port maritime systems, devices, and services used to improve the safety and efficiency of navigation, as well as the preservation of the marine environment.
In line with the global theme for this year’s celebration, the Liberia Maritime Authority has developed a local theme that reads “Marine Aids to Navigation—Ensuring Navigational Safety for Greater Productivity”.
This theme seeks to highlight the significance of Marine Aids to Navigation to the proper functioning of our ports and the wider shipping sector, Commissioner Nagbe emphasized.
In 2022, Nagbe added that, Liberia, through the Liberia Maritime Authority, rejoined the International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities at a National Member.
“This was a giant step in fulfilling our obligations under SOLAS Chapter V Regulation 13 which provides for the establishment and operation of marine aids to navigation in seaports,” he stressed.
According to him, the IALA’s objective, being to harmonize AtoN standards, facilitate safety and efficiency of navigation and the protection of the environment, since rejoining, Liberia continues to benefit from the global organization through capacity building and building strategic partnerships and alliances.
He also spoke on the importance of Marine Aids to Navigation in “our ports needs not to be overstressed. For those who don’t know, Marine Aids to Navigation are all devices, systems, or services, outside of the ship, that are designed and operated with the aim of improving the safety and efficiency of the navigation of ships and individual vessels and/or maritime traffic.
These comprise buoys, day beacons, lights, lightships, radio beacons, fog signals, marks and other devices used to provide the equivalent of street signs, but on the water.”
Nagbe: “Imagine our roads and streets without traffic signs, lights and other traffic safety systems and devices. The instances and likelihood of accidents and the lack of orderly traffic system could be common place. This is exactly the case with marine aids to navigation to shipping. There must be the appropriate marine aids to navigation in our seaports to enable vessels to safely enter and exit in an orderly and safe manner.”
The Commissioner encouraged all stakeholders including the National Port Authority, the Liberian Coast Guard and others to give the sector very keen attention, adding, “We have a convention obligation to provide the appropriate marine aids to navigation in our port.”
