Dr Brooks (right) interacting with Rector, DMI, Dr Tumaini S. Gurumo
(middle) and a colleague during their recent visit to Ghana

 The third edition of the Blue Economy Confer­ence (BEC2024) is set for July 4-5 at the Julius Nyere­re International Convention Center in Tanzania.

The conference organized by the Dar es Salaam Mari­time Institute (DMI), Tanzania in collaboration with the Regional Maritime Universi­ty (RMU) in Accra, would be under the theme, “Navigat­ing the Future: Integrating Maritime Safety and Security, Climate Change Actions and Technological Advancements for Blue Economy.”

The conference is aimed at bringing together internation­al stakeholders, focusing on promoting the blue economy to lead development across the continent.

The blue economy ev­ery year, has an estimated turnover of between US$3 and six billion. This includes employment, ecosystem ser­vices provided by the ocean and cultural services. It is also estimated that fisheries and aquaculture contributes US$100 billion per year and about 260 million jobs to the global economy, according to United Nations (UN) Depart­ment of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) report.

With the huge potential of the blue economy, Africa through the conference, is looking forward to developing the maritime sector to tap into its benefits for socio-eco­nomic growth.

The conference is also aimed at establishing a platform for capacity build­ing and networking among stakeholders, fostering the blue economy in alignment with maritime safety and security, climate change con­siderations and technological advancements as outlined in the relevant Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The conference would tackle other areas including sustainable exploitation and utilisation of blue economy resources, ship seaworthiness and on board-ship compe­tency challenges, business models for the blue economy, women in maritime sector, fishing industry and climate action policy and environ­mental protection.

There would also be dis­cussions on Artificial Intelli­gence(AI) in maritime prac­tices and the blue economy, renewable energy solutions for maritime transportation, information systems in mari­time education and training, logistics, shipping and supply chains for the blue economy, climate-responsive maritime practices and coastal manage­ment, blue economy governance, law and policy as well as coastal and marine tourism develop­ment.

Keynote Speaker for the event would be the Deputy Min­ister for Transport, Tanzania Mr David Mwakiposa Kihenzile, with other speakers including Secretary General, Maritime Organisation of West and Central Africa (MOWCA), Dr Paul Ikongshul Adalikwu, Maritime Law and Management Consul­tant, Dr Kofi Mbia, Special Advisor for Maritime and Blue Economy, Amb. Nancy Karig­ithu, Executive Director,Sier­ra Leone Maritime Authority Paul Sobba Massaquoi and Climate Specialist, Mr Pa Ousman Jarju.

The DMI had held the Blue Economy Conference for the past two years and now joining forces with the RMU to hold the third edition this year, following a Memoran­dum of Understanding (MoU) between the two giants in maritime education and training in February.

The MoU covers areas of research and publication, staff capacity building, organisation of conferences and seminars and workshops among others, hence the col­laboration to hold this year’s conference.

Speaking ahead of the conference, the Ag. Vice Chancellor of the RMU, Dr Jethro W. Brooks Jr said, both institutions have committed to transforming economies across Africa by providing quality training and educa­tion that would ensure that young people were equipped and positioned to drive the maritime sector.

“We look forward for an insightful conference that would support the transfor­mation of the African conti­nent through the maritime industry,” he stated.