Former IMO Sub-Committee chair receives 2022 International Maritime Prize.
Anneliese Jost was received the 2022 International Maritime Prize for her work on maritime safety.
Anneliese Jost has been presented with the prestigious International Maritime Prize for 2022. Ms Jost was honoured at the annual IMO Awards Ceremony, held in London on 27 November. The ceremony followed the first day of the 33rd session of the IMO Assembly (A33) which is taking place 27 November to 6 December.
Ms Jost was nominated for the award by the Federal Republic of Germany for her contribution, in particular, to maritime safety. The International Maritime Prize has been presented annually since 1981 to an individual or organization considered to have made a significant contribution to the work and objectives of IMO.
During her distinguished maritime career, after graduating in mechanical engineering with a specialisation in shipbuilding, Ms Jost was Chair of the IMO Sub-Committee on Ship Design and Equipment, and on Ship Design and Construction, a role she held for an impressive 10 years.
Before handing Ms Jost the silver dolphin trophy, IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim remarked on how valuable her immense technical expertise in the field of maritime safety had proven to IMO, and he commended her “deft” chairing of the IMO technical sub-committees.
Addressing Ms Jost, Mr Lim said:
“Anneliese, your impact on the maritime world and on IMO’s work has been outstanding. It is my utmost pleasure to extend my heartfelt congratulations and present you with this year’s prestigious International Maritime Prize.”
Ms Jost thanked the IMO Council for selecting her as the recipient of this year’s Prize and expressed her gratitude to colleagues for their support over the years. She highlighted the challenges she had faced in the early years of her career as a female engineer in the maritime field.
Anneliese Jost went on:
“Eventually, Member States began to elect female officers in IMO. These days, officers are elected without consideration of gender. I hope this attitude will continue throughout all ranks in future, including for the Secretary General, while IMO continues to play its vital role to facilitate global trade.”
A special certificate was presented to the widow of the late Captain David Bruce, Permanent Representative of the Republic of the Marshall Islands to IMO, whose death was announced in October, in recognition of his work with IMO.
The event also honoured exceptional bravery at sea. Read more here.
Anneliese Jost
Until her retirement in January 2023, Anneliese Jost had worked in maritime safety for almost 40 years. Most recently she had led Germany’s IMO audit team. Prior to that, Ms Jost was with Germany’s Ministry for Digital and Transport, initially as Assistant Head of the Maritime Safety Division before, in 2006, becoming its Deputy Head.
Anneliese Jost was born in Munich. She attended Hanover Technical University of Applied Sciences in Germany and, in 1985, graduated from the University of Michigan, USA, with a degree in mechanical engineering with a specialisation in shipbuilding.
Her early career included periods as a construction supervisor in the field of hydraulic engineering in Berlin, and as a surveyor of newly built ships in the ship safety department of the classification society Germanischer Lloyd in Hamburg.
Ms Jost’s relationship with IMO has been lengthy. She led the German delegation, during which time she acted as a technical expert to various IMO bodies and was responsible for several studies that helped with the development of IMO regulations.
In 2006, Anneliese Jost became Chair of the IMO Sub-Committee on Ship Design and Equipment, and on Ship Design and Construction, a role she held for an impressive 10 years. During this time, mandatory measures were adopted on the towing of wrecked ships. She also oversaw discussions on mandatory, verifiable maintenance of life-saving appliances and on the Code of Safety for Special Purpose Ships. Additional requirements for navigation in polar waters were established, too, which subsequently formed the basis for the Polar Code, adopted in 2014.
Other positions she held at IMO include that of Chair of the Working Party on Subdivision, Stability and Load Lines (WPSSLL) of the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS).
Captain David Bruce
As recognition for the significant contribution of the late Captain David Bruce to the work of IMO, a special certificate was presented by the IMO Secretary-General to his wife, Alison.
Captain Bruce’s links with the Organization go back almost 50 years. He was the Permanent Representative of the Republic of the Marshall Islands to IMO, as well as Senior Deputy Commissioner of the Republic of the Marshall Islands and Republic of the Marshall Islands Maritime Administrator. In varying degrees, Captain Bruce was involved with nearly every IMO initiative and standard concerning the safety, security and environmental performance of international shipping.
Secretary-General Lim said Captain Bruce’s knowledge, expertise and wisdom made him a great friend to all at IMO, and that his commitment and dedication would always be remembered.
See photographs of the 2023 IMO Awards ceremony here.
Read here about previous winners of the International Maritime Prize.