The IMO International Maritime Law Institute (IMLI) held its 27th annual Graduation Ceremony on Saturday 28 May 2015 at Malta Maritime Museum. The Ceremony is the culmination of a very intensive year of studies in all the areas of international maritime law, including international law of the sea, shipping law, marine environmental law, international maritime security law and maritime legislation drafting.

The Ceremony was presided over by Mr. Kitack Lim (Secretary-General, IMO). Many other distinguished personalities were also present, including Honourable Joe Mizzi (Minister for Transport, Malta), Honourable George Vella (Minister for Foreign Affairs, Malta), H.E. Dr. Ugo Mifsud Bonnici (President Emeritus, Malta), Mr. Gabino Gonzalez (Head of Office, REMPEC), Mr. Jim Harrison (Group Legal Director, Lloyd’s Register), Mr. Tom Birch Reynardson (Trustee, CMI Charitable Trust), Mr. Ivan Sammut (Registrar General, Shipping and Seamen, Malta Flag Administration), Ambassador Lino Vassallo (Permanent Representative of Malta to IMO), Mr. Nicolaos Charalambous (Director, IMO Technical Cooperation Division), Mr. Frederick Kenney (Director, IMO Legal Affairs and External Relations Division), Dr. Kofi Mbiah (Chairman, IMO Legal Committee), Mr. Masamichi Hasebe (Senior Legal Counsel, The Japan Association of Maritime Safety), Honourable Joyce Bawah-Mogtari (Deputy Minister for Transport, Ghana), and Professor Francis M.B. Reynolds, Q.C. (Professor Emeritus, University of Oxford). Mr. Kitack Lim (Secretary-General, IMO) with Professor David Attard (Director, IMLI), Visiting Fellows and the IMLI Class of 2015-2016.

During the Graduation Ceremony, 34 students from 26 countries were awarded the Degree of Master of Laws (LL.M.) in International Maritime Law, three students were awarded the Advanced Diploma in International Maritime Law and one student was awarded the Degree of Magister Juris (M.Jur.) in International Maritime Law.

The Welcome Address was delivered by Professor David Attard (Director, IMLI), whilst the Graduation Address was delivered by Mr. Kitack Lim. The Valedictory Address on behalf of the IMLI class of 2016 was delivered by Mr. Derrick Okadia, a graduant from Kenya.

In his address, Professor Attard warmly welcomed Mr. Kitack Lim who was presiding over the ceremony both as Secretary-General of IMO and Chairman of the IMLI Governing Board for the first time. He welcomed further all dignitaries present and the friends and families of the graduands. The Director stated: “[…] these graduands will be joining the global network of over 790 maritime professionals from 135 States and territories worldwide who have successfully undertaken studies in the Institute’s programmes and courses.”

Mr. Kitack Lim (Secretary-General, IMO) in his graduation message to the IMLI Class of 2015- 2016 declared that: “Whether in commercial industry, international organizations, institutions or at IMO, an IMLI graduate’s path to success is a well-worn one. We owe our gratitude to an Institute – complete with all of its staff and many supporters and donors – that, for nearly three decades, has been one of the cornerstones of IMO’s mission to enhance and build global capacity within the maritime sector”. He concluded his message by stating that: “Today is a time for celebration and contemplation, of reflecting and looking onward to how this successful period will help to foster new opportunities for the future. I wish all the graduates every success in their future endeavours, and I very much look forward to meeting many of them in a professional capacity in the coming years”.