Medan, N.Sumatra (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian Maritime Pilots Association (INAMPA) has been elected to become a member of the International Maritime Pilots Association (IMPA).

"This is a matter of pride for Indonesia, because INAMPA has never been a member of IMPA," INAMPAs President Pasoroan Herman Harianja said here, Friday.

Currently, the Indonesian maritime pilots existence, role and capacity are equivalent to their other counterparts around the world.

"INAMPA also has played a significant role in supporting the Indonesian government, as the world maritime axis," Herman said.

He added INAMPA successfully organized the Asia Pacific Maritime Pilots meeting, which took place in Bali from August 28-30, 2017, and was attended by more than 200 participants from various countries.

Some of these countries were South Korea, Japan, China, Australia, New Zealand, Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Malaysia, Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Canada and the host, Indonesia.

"The Asia Pacific Maritime Pilots Forum aims to unify the perceptions of maritime safety, and its derivatives in the region, as well as establish cooperation in various sectors to realize safe, secure and well ordered maritime areas for the ships that go in and out of seaports and other important waters," he stated.

Herman added that delegates were satisfied with the Asia Pacific Maritime Pilots Forum, both in terms of the content discussed, outputs, the established networking and the Indonesian hospitality, as the host.

In fact, the President of IMPA, Capt. Simon Pelletier from Canada, saluted the INAMPA, which invited participants from the Asia Pacific countries.

"The meeting also demonstrated Indonesias role as a great country," he added.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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