Research by World Maritime University (WMU) scholar Dr. Tafsir Matin Johansson was honored at Bangladesh’s World Maritime Day celebrations on 27 September. Bangladesh’s Minister of Shipping, the Honorable Sheik Rabiul Alam, presented the recognition for his contribution to maritime research in absentia.
Advancing Ocean Equity:
WMU Scholar Recognized for Maritime Research
about the publication
The recognition followed a letter from Bangladesh’s Department of Shipping commending Dr. Johansson’s contribution through “Mind the gap: Towards an equitable transfer of marine technology”. Co-authored with Dr Gabriela Argüello of the University of Gothenburg and published in Marine Policy, the article examines how developing States and coastal communities can gain fairer access to the technologies, expertise and scientific capacity needed to study and govern the ocean.
The publication draws on research undertaken under the Third Pillar (on artificial intelligence and robotics for conservation of biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction) of the WMU-Sasakawa Global Ocean Institute’s Future Ocean Programme, generously funded by The Nippon Foundation. Its central argument is that meaningful technology transfer involves more than providing equipment: it also requires the knowledge, skills and opportunity to put that technology to use and participate in decisions about the ocean.
The World Maritime Day ceremony provided a fitting setting for that recognition. At a gathering devoted to the future of the maritime sector, it celebrated research that asks how the benefits of ocean science can be shared more fairly, and how international cooperation can turn that ambition into practice.
For more information, please contact the WMU-Sasakawa Global Ocean Institute at goisecretariat@wmu.se.
About the World Maritime University
The World Maritime University (WMU) in Malmö, Sweden is established within the framework of the International Maritime Organization, a specialized agency of the United Nations. The mission of WMU is to be the world centre of excellence in postgraduate maritime and oceans education, professional training and research, while building global capacity and promoting sustainable development. WMU is an organization by and for the international maritime community and is committed to the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
About wmu-goi
The World Maritime University (WMU)-Sasakawa Global Ocean Institute (GOI) is an independent focal point for the ocean science-policy-law-industry-society interface where policymakers, the scientific community, regulators, industry actors, academics, and representatives of civil society meet to discuss how best to manage and use ocean spaces and their resources in accordance with the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Institute was inaugurated in May 2018 and made possible through generous support from The Nippon Foundation of Japan, the Governments of Sweden, Canada, and Germany, as well as the City of Malmö.