For nearly ten days, Tunisia’s maritime administration and port authority were subjected to a rigorous examination known as a “mandatory audit” carried out by a mission from the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
As a result of the audit, Tunisia was ranked among the countries most compliant with IMO international instruments in terms of maritime safety, marine environmental protection, and seafarer certification, it was announced at the conclusion of the mission in Tunis.
This audit will now be followed by the development of a strategy to strengthen Tunisia’s national maritime governance system, noted Khaoula Belakhdhar, CEO of the Merchant Marine and Ports Authority (OMMP).
She also highlighted that the audit represented an opportunity to enhance inter-institutional coordination within the maritime transport sector, improve work methods and ensure the follow-up of the audit’s recommendations.
It is worth noting that the IMO’s mandatory audit program applies to 176 member states and Tunisia has been a member of the organization since 1963, actively participating in 31 international maritime conventions.
