The Gambia Maritime Administration is one of the most significant and critical sectors of the economy as most of the country’s trade is conducted through shipping, the Maritime was established in 2006 in Parliament and began operation in 2009 which has an open-door policy for media practitioners as partners in national development assuring that the Maritime to have a lot to offer through which the media could assist in the dissemination of information.
As the Gambia imports most of its goods through seaports and a re-exports country, the industry significantly contributes to the country’s economy which makes maritime safety and security a major issue that has economic and security implications for the nation.
The Maritime with its five years strategic plans covering from 2022-2026, aims to engage in public sensitization about the industry’s work, which also looks forward to better implementation in the sector, likewise sharing experiences and knowledge about the operational modalities of the GMA.
To ensure safety and security in the Gambia waters a clean and protected, the marine environment is the backbone of GMA’s work, it is with the task to developing the maritime industry which covers areas of seafarers’ training and welfare, port security with respect to the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) code, protection of the marine environment and a range of others.
As the marine validated its five years strategic plans, it sets to effectively address some of the issues in the marine sector, and with consideration of the significant role played by the media, the Marine is urged to strengthen the communication with the media for the public consumption.