Gabon: Minister Dieudonné Loïc NDINGA MOUDOUMA raises awareness of the emergency plan for safeguarding human life at sea at a workshop in Port-Gentil
Dieudonné Loïc NDINGA MOUDOUMA, Minister of Transport, Merchant Shipping and the Sea, visited Port-Gentil, Gabon’s economic capital, last Friday as part of a crucial mission to raise awareness of the emergency plan for safeguarding human life at sea. The visit brought together various public, semi-public and private players from the Ogooué-Maritime region involved in activities at sea, to familiarize them with good prevention practices to ensure safety at sea.
The administrative authorities of the Ogooué-Maritime province were all present, and the Minister observed a minute’s silence in memory of the victims of accidents at sea, notably those of the Esther Miracle. In his opening speech, Dieudonné Loïc NDINGA MOUDOUMA took stock of the situation following the tragic accident in March this year, in which many Gabonese lost their lives.
“We are facing a wide range of threats, from maritime accidents to pollution incidents, from rescue operations to acts of piracy. This emergency plan will be our guide to reacting quickly and effectively, minimizing negative impacts in our maritime space and guaranteeing the safety of our sailors”, stressed the Minister. At a workshop held from November 16 to 17, 2023 in Libreville, participants from the public and private sectors presented the Minister with a detailed report including strategic, technical, administrative and financial recommendations.
“The development of this plan is not simply an administrative process, but represents our commitment to protecting our waters. The sea is not only a shipping lane, but also a set of fragile ecosystems that deserve our respect and preservation”, reaffirmed Dieudonné Loïc NDINGA MOUDOUMA, Minister of Transport, Merchant Shipping and the Sea.
It also testifies to the determination with which the Minister of Transport, Merchant Shipping and the Sea, Dieudonné Loïc NDINGA MOUDOUMA, intends to introduce the rigor, professionalism and pragmatism that characterize him into a sector once considered a flagship of our economy.
This initiative has been widely hailed and very favorably received by maritime players, who have pledged to appropriate the various tools for preserving human life at sea.
The Port-Gentil conference, which was eagerly awaited by all maritime professionals, generated a great deal of enthusiasm for the dynamic initiated by the Captain, who is charting a clear course to ensure that the case of Esther Miracle never happens again. “Never again in Gabon” is the objective of this major national emergency plan workshop.