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Koji Sekimizu (born 3 December 1952) is a Japanese official who was Secretary General of the International Maritime Organization between 2012 and 2015, as well as Chancellor of the World Maritime University.[1][2]
Koji Sekimizu | |
|---|---|
 Koji Sekimizu in April 2013 | |
| 8th Secretary General of the International Maritime Organization | |
| In office January 1, 2012 – December 31, 2015 | |
| Preceded by | Efthymios Mitropoulos |
| Succeeded by | Kitack Lim |
| Personal details | |
| Born | December 3, 1952 |
| Alma mater | Osaka University |
Sekimizu attended school in Yokohama.[1] He studied a Bachelor's degree in Engineering at Osaka University and then obtained a Master's degree in Engineering from Osaka University in 1977.[1]
In 1977, he was appointed at a ship inspectior for the Ministry of Transport in Japan.[1] In 1979, he became responsible for IMO safety planning regulations at the Ministry of Transport Ship Bureau.[1] In 1980, he began attending meetings at the IMO in London.[1] He eventually rose to become Deputy Director of Maritime Safety Standards in 1986.[1]
In 1989, Sekimizu joined the IMO as a technical officer.[1] In 1992, he became Head of Technology in the Maritime Safety Division.[1] In 1997, he became the Senior Deputy Director of the Maritime Environment Division.[1] In 2004, he was appointed as the Director of the Maritime Safety Division at the IMO.[1][2]
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On 28 June 2011, he was elected Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization.[3] This appointment was confirmed on 1 December 2011 and he became the eighth Secretary-General of the IMO.[1] He began his term as Secretary-General on 1 January 2012.[2]
In July 2012, in response to the Costa Concordia disaster, he stated that the IMO needed to seriously consider the lessons to be learnt [from the accident] and, if necessary, re-reexamine the requirements on the safety of large passenger ships.[4] In September 2012, he argued for enhanced safety regulations for passenger shipping in the maritime industry.[5] In June 2013, in Oslo, he advised audiences of the IMO development of the Polar Code.[6]
In 2015, he stated clearly that the IMO must help prevent migrants from being sent to unsafe ports, specifically in the Mediterranean.[7] In 2015, Sekimizu also said that shippers should not be responsible for capping their environmental emissions.[8] In April 2015, he welcomed Zambia as the newest IMO member State.[9]
Seikimizu served as Secretary-General until 31 December 2015.[1] He was succeeded on 1 January 2016 by Kitack Lim.[1][10] On his retirement from the IMO at the end of 2015, he was the last Japanese official to lead a UN specialised agency until the appointment of Masahiko Metoki to the Universal Postal Union in 2022.[11]
In 2016, following his retirement he received the International Maritime Prize for his contributions at IMO.[12]
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He is married, with a daughter, son and two grand-daughters.[1]
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