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The Philippine candidate
for IMO Secretary-General
THE PHILIPPINES is proud to put
forward Dr. Maximo Q. Mejia Jr. as its
candidate for the post of Secretary-General
of the International Maritime Organization.
With education and experience in
maritime affairs spanning three decades,
awareness and exposure across all the
world’s continents, and an inclusive and
results-oriented leadership style, Dr. Mejia
possesses the qualities necessary to build
on the work of past Secretaries-General and
lead the Organization to further success:
streamlined administration, effective
implementation of standards, and a positive
image of the maritime sector.
maximo q . mejia jr .
COMPETENT • INTERNATIONAL • DYNAMIC
www.max-imo.org
• COMPETENT •
MAXIMO Q. Mejia Jr. is the
incumbent Administrator
(Director-General) of
MARINA, the Philippine
Maritime Administration.
His formal education has
been an extended focus on
maritime law and policy,
culminating in a PhD from
Lund University based on
his thesis Law & Ergonomics
in Maritime Security.
In Dr. Mejia
we can expect
a competent
leader, skilled
at mediating
between the
interests of
states and
stakeholders,
while at the
same time taking
a determined
stance on
maritime safety,
security, and
environmental
protection.
Maritime competence
WITH a professional career spent exclusively in the maritime sector, Dr.
Mejia's technical credentials, competence, and experience have been
accumulated over three decades. Starting as a 19-year-old midshipman
in the United States Naval Academy, he has moved on to serve in the
following capacities:
• OIC of navigational watch
Law & Diplomacy, Medford,
on board Philippine Navy &
MA, USA
Coast Guard ships
• MSc, World Maritime
• Commanding Officer, Port
University, Malmö, Sweden
State Control Office Manila
• PhD, Lund University, Lund,
• Station Commander, Coast
Sweden
Guard Station Iligan
• Deputy Executive Director,
Dr. Mejia is thoroughly
Presidential Task Force on
familiar with the work of IMO.
Maritime Development
He has attended various IMO
• Director for Navigational
meetings since 1994 and has
Safety, Philippine Coast
headed delegations from the
Guard
Philippines in recent years. He
• Professor of Maritime Law
has served as a member of the
& Policy, World Maritime
IMO-STCW Panel of Competent
University
Persons and has for 15 years
• Administrator, Maritime
served as a resident member of
Industry Authority (MARINA) faculty at the World Maritime
University (WMU), IMO’s apex
His formal education has
institution for higher maritime
been a consistent and increasing studies. Through his many years
specialization in maritime affairs, as professor, he was afforded the
law, and policy:
privilege of teaching, interacting,
• BSc, United States Naval
and engaging in open discussion
Academy, Annapolis, MD,
with maritime officials from
USA
all over the world undergoing
• MALD, Fletcher School of
graduate studies at the WMU.
International profile and recognition
INTERNATIONAL cooperation
plays a vital role in addressing
the most pressing issues that
relate to maritime safety,
security, and environmental
protection, especially during
these challenging times.
Whether education or seafarers
certification, or even the
ratification of environmental
conventions, down to providing
guidance for the improvement
of domestic ferry safety, Dr.
Mejia’s extensive experience in
cross-national and cross-cultural
situations makes him a most
suitable mediator or bridge
between worlds.
He hails from East Asia, one
of the most vibrant regions
for maritime commerce today.
Yet he also lived in the US for
seven years and in Sweden
for 17 years, and experienced
and witnessed first-hand the
resilience and adaptability of
the shipping sectors in the
more established maritime
economies of Europe and North
America. He is productive and
at ease working in multi-cultural
• INTERNATIONAL •
Dr. Max Q. Mejia Jr. has
lived, studied, and worked in
three continents. Aside from
his native Philippines, he
stayed 17 years in Sweden
and seven years in the
United States.
environments with different
teams of varied nationalities.
He has also taught and spoken
at international conferences in
more than 30 different countries.
In 2013, Dr. Mejia was cited
in the Lloyd’s List 100 Most
Influential People in the Shipping
Industry ̶ a testament to both
international recognition and
respect. His truly international
outlook will be put to good
service at the IMO.
He has worked and thrived
in the international and
multi-cultural environment
at WMU.
He has taught and interacted
with WMU students from
more than a hundred
maritime administrations
from around the world.
He has been a lecturer and
speaker at workshops and
conferences in over 30
different countries.
He is bilingual in Filipino
and English, fluent in
Swedish, and has varying
facilities for Spanish and
Chinese.
Dr. Max Mejia Jr. was cited in the Lloyd’s List
100 Most Influential People in the Shipping Industry ̶
a testament to both international recognition and respect.
Dynamic leadership, creative solutions
DR. MEJIA's dynamism
exudes an abiding faith in the
power of cooperation, the
strength of consensus, and the
understanding achieved through
open communication.
He is known for creative
solutions to the most complex
maritime issues. He is the
architect of current reform
efforts in the system of
STCW implementation in the
Philippines that has involved
more than a dozen government
agencies and the private sector
interest groups.
He coordinated and steered
the government response to
the transport crisis in the ferry
town of Matnog in the aftermath
of the devastation of Typhoon
Haiyan.
At WMU, Dr. Mejia
participated in initiatives from
concept to launch and execution,
including the publication series
WMU Studies in Maritime
Affairs, the WMU Doctoral
Studies Program, and the
WMU-Lund Joint Maritime LLM
Program.
Dr. Mejia’s management
style is inclusive, characterized
by regular public consultations,
dialogues with stakeholders, and
an open-office policy. A sense
of duty with a can-do attitude
pervades his work ethic.
He listens, is open-minded,
and learns from others’ pointsof-view. He is prepared to
engage partners appropriately at
every level.
• DYNAMIC •
He welcomes change, activity
and progress.
His thinking is broad, systemic,
and big picture.
A global vision for IMO
AS Secretary-General, Dr. Mejia
will work tirelessly with memberstates, intergovernmental and
non-governmental organizations
to maintain and secure IMO’s role
as the venue for the fomulation of
global standards for shipping. Safety
and efficiency in maritime transport
can only be afforded by international
- not unilateral or regional regulations.
In broad strokes, below are some
of Dr. Mejia's priority areas for the
Organization.
Maritime safety
The promotion of maritime safety
remains the most important function
of the IMO. Even as it expands its
activities beyond its traditional
functions, the focus and emphasis on
maritime safety must remain its most
primordial concern.
Human element, seafarer welfare,
safety, and competence
When the global economy recovers
and demand for shipping services
begins to surge, so will the demand for
qualified seafarers through the STCW
Convention, while at the same time
safeguarding their rights and welfare.
Maritime environmental protection
In formulating standards for the
protection of the marine environment,
the Organization must ensure that
international shipping stays ahead of
other transport modes in contributing
to the pursuit of a sustainable future.
Maritime security
Piracy, armed robbery against
ships, transport of migrants under
substandard conditions, and other
unlawful acts at sea continue to
threaten maritime security. The
sharing of best practices and
implementation of regulations and
other measures must be followed
with regional discussions on socioeconomic factors that abet criminality.
Women in maritime
The world's female population
remains an enormous untapped
source of competent and qualified
maritime professionals. Greater
effort should be taken to encourage
their entry in the maritime industry,
seagoing as well as shore-based.
Efficient formulation and effective
implementation of standards
To ensure highest practicable
regulations, the standards formulation
process should strongly consider
both capabilities and limitations of
administrations and stakeholders.
Also, effective implementation
of existing IMO standards and
instruments must be strengthened.
Organizational efficiency
IMO should pursue its ongoing
drive towards greater efficiency, fiscal
responsibility, and organizational
reform. It should also take advantage
of information and communications
technology to optimize productivity in
IMO meetings and processes.
Open, responsive, inclusive
Dr. Mejia will bring an inclusive
approach and style to IMO,
encouraging discussions with
member-states, observer delegations,
stakeholders, and the Secretariat,
as well as continually reach out to
collaborate with other international
organizations.
Public diplomacy
IMO must engage the public in a
comprehensive information campaign
to highlight the Organization's
successes in promoting shipping as a
responsible sector that provides the
safest, most efficient, and sustainable
mode of transport for world trade.
Technical cooperation
Technical cooperation programs
are the best way to raise the level
of compliance and implementation
in many member-states; more
creative ideas to secure funding for
technical assistance programs must be
developed.
Technology and innovation
IMO must formulate relevant
regulations in a timely manner to
ensure that technology contributes
to common objectives, including the
reduction of administrative burdens.
Technology should simplify rather
than complicate matters, with a focus
on user-centered design. The fullest
protentials of technology must be
realized, but its risks must be properly
managed at the same time.
Development of future maritime
leaders
The IMO, through the World
Maritime University, its apex
institution for higher maritime
studies, together with the
International Maritime Law Institute,
its training arm for developing
maritime law specialists, must
continue to produce and develop
future maritime leaders and policymakers. In this connection, the longterm financial sustainability of these
two institutions must be secured.
Technical cooperation programs are the best way to raise
the level of compliance and implementation in many member-states.
+63 526-0971
[email protected]
Maximo Q. Mejia Jr., Ph.D.
Maritime Industry Authority
1000 Manila Philippines
Education
•
•
•
•
PhD, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
MSc , World Maritime University, Malmö, Sweden
MALD, Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts, USA
BSc, United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland, USA
Experience
administrator (director-general) maritime industry authority - 2013 to present
•
•
•
•
Chief Executive of MARINA, the Maritime Administration of the Philippines
Architect of fundamental structural reforms in STCW administration in the country
Member, Board of Directors, Philippine Ports Authority
Member, Board of Directors, National Maritime Polytechnic
professor, world maritime university - 1998 to 2013
•
•
•
•
Course Professor and Head, Maritime Law & Policy Specialization
Taught & interacted with more than a thousand students from more than a hundred administrations around the world
Editor / Co-editor of 7 books; author of over 30 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters
Presented and participated in more than 80 conferences in over 30 different countries
commissioned officer, philippine navy & philippine coast guard - 1988 to 1998
•
•
•
•
•
Director for Navigational Safety
Deputy Executive Director, Presidential Task Force on Maritime Development
Station Commander, Coast Guard Station Iligan
Commanding Officer, Port State Control Office Manila
Officer-in-Charge of a Navigational Watch on board various vessels
Honors and recognition
•
•
•
•
•
Lloyd's List 100 Most Influential Persons in the Shipping Industry, 2013
Distinguished Service Medal, Philippine Coast Guard, 2004
Dean's List & Commandant's List, United States Naval Academy, 1984 to 1988
4th Place (All-American), US National Collegiate Powerlifting Championships, 1988
1st Prize, Roy C. Smith III Essay Contest, US Naval Academy Foreign Affairs Conference, 1987
A full CV and related information are available at www.max-imo.org
• THE PHILIPPINES •
AN ARCHIPELAGO comprising
7,100 islands, the Philippines relies
on maritime transport to bind its
people and culture and maintain
linkages with its ASEAN neighbors
and the rest of the world. It has a
merchant fleet of close to 10,000
ships, 253 government and private
ports, and a shipbuilding sector with
a capacity of close to a million GT.
Convention and Code. It is actively
represented in IMO meetings.
The Philippines is the world's
biggest source of seafarers,
providing 30% of the world's fleet
requirements in 2014.
In the last biennium, the Philippines
organized 10 conferences jointly
with IMO and participated in 11
IMO-sponsored events in other
countries.
As an active member and partner of
IMO, the Philippines serves as the
base for the IMO Regional Presence
for Technical Cooperation in East
Asia. It hosted the 2010 Diplomatic
Conference to amend the STCW
Together with IMO, it will co-host
the first International Conference
on the Enhancement of Safety of
Domestic Passenger Ferries on
April 24, 2015.