World Maritime Day: Practical steps for cleaner seas

September 24 marks World Maritime Day, with the 2026-2027 theme "From Policy to Practice: Powering Maritime Excellence." This year's theme puts a focus on turning international maritime rules and knowledge into action, including in marine environmental protection.

A recent International Maritime Organization (IMO) forum in Singapore highlighted one emerging challenge: how to prepare for pollution incidents involving alternative marine fuels. Held on September 21-22 with support from China, the IMO Research and Development (R&D) Forum brought together regulators, scientists, industry representatives and emergency responders.

Discussions covered liquefied natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, methanol, ammonia, hydrogen, biofuels and e-fuels, as well as spill behavior, modeling, risk assessment, emergency response, post-spill actions and international cooperation. Participants stressed the need for closer cooperation among governments, industry, academia and scientists to address knowledge gaps and strengthen preparedness.

The forum's full report, which is intended to summarize the discussions and identify opportunities for future cooperation, is still to be produced. Its discussions nevertheless point to a practical challenge for the shipping industry: as the use of alternative fuels expands, pollution response needs to keep pace with the different characteristics of these fuels.

The recent Caroline Bezengi accident off Oman illustrates the challenges of responding to marine pollution. The tanker ran aground near Al Qibliyah Island in the Al Hallaniyat Islands in June, with oil leaking into waters near a protected marine area and later reaching the coastline. Authorities have used satellite imagery, field surveys and technical models to monitor the spill, while salvage and containment efforts have been complicated by strong winds, high waves and shallow, rocky waters. By August, preparations were underway to transfer the vessel’s remaining oil cargo to another vessel, subject to safety and weather conditions.

Long-term protection also depends on restoring coastal ecosystems. In southeast China's Fujian Province, 18 centrally supported marine ecological protection and restoration projects were carried out during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025). Measures included removing invasive plants, restoring mangroves and protective forests, replenishing beaches and restoring backshore vegetation. The projects restored about 45,600 mu (3,040 hectares) of coastal wetlands, 12,900 mu of mangroves and 86.5 kilometers of coastline.

Together, these efforts show the practical side of marine protection: preparing for new pollution risks, responding quickly when accidents occur, and giving damaged coastal ecosystems the conditions to recover.