The CMU is the Caribbean’s premier maritime training institution and a key partner institution of the Government of Antigua and Barbuda for maritime training and education since 2014. Through scholarships offered by the Department of Marine Services and Merchant Shipping (ADOMS) and the Port Authority, over 30 nationals have graduated from CMU with BSc in Marine Transportation or BSc in Marine Engineering.

Nationals trained through these programmes serve both at home in a regulatory or operational capacity for the ADOMS and the Port Authority as well as around the world aboard vessels of all sizes such as superyachts, cruise ships, cargo ships and tankers.

The conference was opened by greetings from H.E. Ambassador Dwight Gardiner, Director/Registrar General of ADOMS and Permanent Representative of Antigua and Barbuda to the International maritime Organization, who received an honorary Doctor of Laws from CMU in 2024. His remarks can be found here.

The conference brings together regulators, industry and academia from across the Caribbean and North America to discuss critical issues for the region such as:

• Industry 4.0 applications for Caribbean development
• Climate-resilient practices in maritime operations
• Inclusive policies for indigenous communities and the sea
• Cutting-edge training and education models
• Economic analyses of shipping decarbonization
• Inter-agency strategies for blue economy governance

The Antigua and Barbuda delegation also includes other prominent local maritime experts who will lead various panels being held, including:

• Mr. Darwin Telemaque, CEO of the Port Authority and Chairman of the Port Managers Association of the Caribbean
• Cdr. Wayne Mykoo, Deputy Director – Maritime Affairs and External Relations, ADOMS
• Dr. Branson Belle, Executive Director of the Centre of Excellence for Oceanography and the Blue Economy, UWI Five Islands Campus
• Mr. Ethan James, CEO of Green Energy Management Inc.

A Tribute to Captain José Alain Gillis
May 30th, 1941 – June 18th, 2025

It is with heartfelt sorrow that the Antigua and Barbuda Department of Marine Services and Merchant Shipping (ADOMS) marks the passing of Captain José Alain Gillis. Captain Gillis, who joined ADOMS in January 1996, served diligently as Deputy Director Technical until his retirement in January 2013.

Captain Gillis was a cornerstone of our Department, known affectionately as the “technical backbone” of ADOMS. His approach to work—and to life—was captured in his favourite phrase: “no problem, oh that is no problem.” That calm, steady demeanor defined his professional conduct. No matter the complexity of the task at hand, he remained composed and focused, earning the respect and admiration of his colleagues and the maritime community at large.

Meticulous in his work and passionate about precision, Captain Gillis was widely known for his thoroughness. He double-checked files, examined ship registrations with care, and offered invaluable insights that contributed to the exponential growth of ADOMS, particularly in the realm of ship registration.

With a distinguished maritime career spanning 53 years, Captain Gillis brought a wealth of experience and global perspective to his role. Though he visited Belgium yearly, he considered Antigua his true home. He embodied integrity, professionalism, and kindness—qualities that made him both a trusted leader and a cherished friend among his peers.

Captain Gillis’ legacy lives on in the systems he helped strengthen, the people he mentored, and the culture of excellence he nurtured at ADOMS. He was not only a skilled mariner but a gentleman in every sense, committed to the success of the department and the welfare of his colleagues.

We honour his memory and express our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones. Captain Gillis will be greatly missed and always remembered for his remarkable contribution to our Department and to the maritime industry as a whole.

Rest in peace, Captain Gillis.
Your legacy sails on.

The Crew of MV Fehn Calypso (Call sign V2GF9) have rescued a total number of 10 persons from severe danger at sea. Their action deserves acknowledgment and as the vessels Flag State we will be issuing a formal letter of appreciation.

The Spanish Maritime Safety Agency commended the crew by stating that the decisive and efficient intervention taken was crucial and avoided a high-risk situation for these persons as well as a probably prolonged and costly Search and Rescue operation.

It was also noted that massive immigration through small boats across the Strait and the Alborán Sea has increased dramatically and emergencies like this occur frequently in these waters.

The Antigua and Barbuda Flag Administration congratulates all the seafarers who were involved and who despite the many security concerns displayed professionalism and good seamanship.

The theme for this year is “IMO 70: Our heritage: better shipping for a better future”. It looks both at the past and into the years to come.

It provides an opportunity to reflect and showcase how IMO has developed and adapted while staying true to its overall mission – to promote safe, secure, environmentally sound, efficient and sustainable shipping.

It has done this largely through consensus among its 173 Member States. The more than 50 international instruments adopted by IMO cover all aspects of international shipping – including ship design, construction, equipment, crewing, navigation, operation and disposal. Complying with these standards can be challenging for the industry.

But nothing truly worthwhile is ever easy. IMO’s greatest achievement has been to create a level playing field, through global regulations uniformly implemented, so that ship operators cannot simply cut corners. This approach also encourages innovation and efficiency.

Since its beginning, IMO has worked to ensure that people all over the world can continue to benefit from shipping in a manner that meets the needs of the global economy, and also changing expectations about safety, environmental protection, social responsibility and so on. With shipping transporting more than 80 per cent of global trade to people and communities all over the world, it is clear that IMO’s actions have an effect far beyond the ships themselves.

IMO’s heritage for 70 years has been to drive improvements in shipping to achieve a better world today. Our challenge for the years to come remains – to work in collaboration with all stakeholders to create better shipping – for a better future.

This article was prepared using the generic background information as provided by the International Maritime Organization

Every evening, millions of people all over the world will settle into their armchairs to watch some TV after a hard day at work. Many will have a snack or something to drink. Most people will not think about the important role that shipping has played and will continue to play in their lives. Every one of us undoubtedly owes a great debt of gratitude to this unsung industry on which the world relies.

Have you ever considered that the TV probably arrived in a containership; the grain that made the bread in that sandwich came in a bulk carrier; the coffee probably came by sea too, and even the electricity powering the TV set and lighting up the room was probably generated using fuel that came in a giant oil tanker.

The truth is that shipping affects us all. No matter where you may be in the world, if you look around you, you are almost certain to see something that either has been or will be transported by sea, whether in the form of raw materials, components or the finished product. Unfortunately, few people have any idea just how much they rely on shipping. For the vast majority, even on island Nations, shipping is out of sight and out of mind but this does a huge disservice to the industry that, quietly and efficiently, day and night, never pausing and never stopping, keeps the world turning and keeps the people of the world fed, clothed, housed and entertained.

The importance of shipping in supporting and sustaining today’s global society gives the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) work a significance that reaches far beyond the industry itself.

International trade has evolved such that almost no nation can be fully self-sufficient. Every country relies, to some degree, on selling what it produces and acquiring what it lacks.  Shipping is the only truly cost-effective and sustainable means by which this can be fulfilled. Today, people all over the world rely on ships to transport the commodities, fuel, foodstuffs, goods and products on which we all depend. Maritime transport is the backbone of international trade and the global economy.

According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), around 80% of global trade by volume and over 70% of global trade by value are carried by sea and are handled by ports worldwide. There are nearly 1000 ships registered in Antigua and Barbuda that contribute to this important aspect of International trade making the country one of the top 25 ship registries in the World. Fleets like this one enable the import and export of goods, on the scale necessary to sustain the modern world.

It is a huge credit to the industry that most of this indispensable work is completed safely and without incident. It is difficult to quantify the value of world seaborne trade and the transport cost element as the shelf price of goods varies from product to product, but is ultimately negligible as far as the consumer is concerned.

Shipping is perhaps the most international of all the world’s great industries. The ownership and management chain surrounding any particular vessel can embrace many different countries. It is not unusual to find that the owners, operators, shippers, charterers, insurers and the classification society, not to mention the officers and crew, are all of different nationalities and that none of these is from the country whose flag flies at the ship’s stern. There is, therefore, a clear logic in favor of a framework of international standards to regulate shipping – standards which can be adopted, accepted, implemented and enforced by all. To successfully achieve this there has to be a common approach, so that ships can ply their trade around the world and that countries receiving foreign-flagged ships can be confident that, in accepting them, they do not place their safety, security and environmental integrity at an unreasonable risk.

The IMO’s main task has been to develop and maintain a comprehensive regulatory framework for international shipping. Its mandate was originally limited to safety-related issues but, subsequently, its remit has expanded to embrace environmental considerations, legal matters and technical cooperation. The direct output of the IMO’s regulatory work is a comprehensive body of international conventions, supported by literally hundreds of guidelines and recommendations that, between them, govern just about every facet of the shipping industry.

To a considerable extent, shipping’s success in improving its safety and environmental record can be attributed to the comprehensive framework of rules, regulations and standards developed over many years by IMO, through international collaboration among its Members. Antigua and Barbuda has been a member of IMO for some 30 years and plays an active part in its work.

This year, we celebrate the World Maritime Day theme: Shipping – Indispensable to the World – as it gives an opportunity for the shipping community to tell its story: the story of an industry that, in terms of efficiency, safety, environmental impact and its contribution to global trade is unmatched by any other transport sector; the story of shipping – which is, truly, indispensable to the world.

This article was prepared using the generic background information as provided by the International Maritime Organization

This year, the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Day of the Seafarer campaign will celebrate Seafarers under the theme “At Sea For All” to let the world know how and why Seafarers are indispensable to everyone.

The theme has a clear link with the World Maritime Day 2016 theme, “Shipping: indispensable to the world” emphasizing that Seafarers serve at sea not just for the shipping industry or for their own career purposes, but for all of us – and, consequently, they are also “indispensable to the world”.

IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim said: “This year, on June 25^th, the Day of the Seafarer, we are once again asking people everywhere to show their appreciation for the Seafarers that quietly, mostly unnoticed, keep the wheels of the world in motion”.

To promote the important theme of “At Sea For All”, Seafarers, those in the maritime industry and those who have benefited from the work of Seafarers are encouraged to get involved through Twitter, using the IMO hashtag #AtSeaForAll to share what Seafarers mean to you.

Being a relatively small twin-island nation, Antigua and Barbuda relies heavily on ships duly run by Seafarers to deliver virtually all its goods, as well as to transport large numbers of tourists to the Islands. Importantly, ships and their Seafarers also bring oil that is heavily relied on to produce the electrical power which is so necessary in both homes and businesses, and also increasingly used to produce vital fresh water.

In November 2015, Antigua and Barbuda was one of the first countries in the world to form a Port Welfare Committee to pilot an international initiative to protect and enhance the welfare of Seafarers as part of the International Seafarers’ Welfare Assistance Network (ISWAN).  https://www.portwelfare.org/case-study-3–antigua—barbuda.html

A survey of all Seafarers visiting the Islands will shortly be launched to better understand their needs and thus establish the best way to progress this initiative to the benefit of everyone.

Antigua and Barbuda has responsibility for ensuring appropriate safety and welfare standards for the numerous Seafarers on board an estimated 1,000 internationally trading vessels registered with the islands.

We should not forget that this day follows on soon after the UN’s World Oceans Day which was held on June 8^th 2016 under the theme, “Healthy Oceans, Healthy Planet”.

ST. JOHN’S, Antigua and Barbuda – 21^st September, 2015…Ambassador Dwight C. R. Gardiner has received his official instrument accrediting him as Ambassador of Antigua and Barbuda to the Association of Caribbean States (ACS). The newly appointed ACS Ambassador travelled to Trinidad and Tobago last week to present his credentials to the ACS Secretary General, Ambassador Alfonso Múnera Cavadía in a short ceremony held at the ACS’s headquarters in Port-of-Spain.

The ACS has a varied mandate focusing on a number of matters, including trade and transport, which complements the Directors current portfolio responsibilities and experience in the maritime industry.  Priorities on the ACS agenda also include protection and conservation of the Caribbean Sea, addressing the influx of Sargasso seaweed, tackling coastal erosion and the invasion of Lion Fish in the region and issues of regional migration management.

In accepting his official accreditation instrument, the Director and Registrar General of the Antigua and Barbuda Department of Marine Services and Merchant Shipping (ADOMS), Ambassador Gardiner said,

“I am enormously pleased to be part of this new political directorate. As the representative of Antigua and Barbuda on the ACS, I will continue working diligently and tirelessly to ensure that our country’s voice is heard on critical agenda matters of the ACS and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) while enhancing regional cooperation on the topical issue of migration, and the possibility of strengthening the synergy among international organizations so as to enable effective migration management.”

The ACS consists of 32 contracting states, countries and territories of the Greater Caribbean, with the desire to enhance cooperation within the region, an initiative aimed at building upon geographic proximity and well-documented historical linkages. As stated in the Convention establishing the ACS, its primary purpose is to be an organization for “consultation, cooperation and concerted action” for its member countries.

The theme for the day of the Seafarer this year is Maritime Education.

We want more people to consider a career at sea.

To help improve awareness of careers at sea the following messages have been produced by the International Maritime Organization;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kI4-qwsUoxM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1AoPzXeMKw

We are also looking at ways to improve Seafarer welfare facilities on Antigua and Barbuda. We have been selected to take part in a project to establish Port Welfare Committees at Ports around the World, which bring together organizations, and people, involved in catering for the welfare of both local and visiting Seafarers. Further details are available at;

https://www.portwelfare.org/

or by contacting Chris Balls or Darion Lake on telephone; 4621273 or e-mail; technical@abregistry.ag