The International Maritime Organization (IMO) Council has approved Qatar's bid to host the World Maritime Day Parallel Event in 2028.

Qatar’s offer to host the event was accepted at the Council’s 137th regular session that began July 6 and ends this Friday.

Qatar's Ambassador to the UK and Permanent Representative to the IMO Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Saud Al Thani thanked IMO Member States for their support.

He said that Qatar is committed to delivering a distinguished event that contributes to supporting the IMO goals, cementing international cooperation, fostering knowledge exchange, and advancing innovation and sustainability across the maritime industry.

Member States' approval of Doha as the host for this important event in 2028 reflects the role Qatar continues to play in the global maritime industry, he noted.

The WMDPE is an international platform held annually by the IMO in cooperation with the host country. It is hosted in a different country each year, bringing together government officials, maritime transportation and shipping industry leaders, and representatives from global organizations, academia, and the private sector to discuss the industry’s challenges and opportunities.

The Doha parallel event, which will run from two to three days, will discuss maritime navigation safety, marine life, decarbonization, digital transformation, supply chains, and how shipping, logistics services and ports management can benefit from the AI and new technologies, among several other key subjects of top regional and global priority.