Message from the Secretary-General
I commend to you the third edition of the year of our e-Bulletin.
You will see in these pages a selection of articles from our global membership and from our Secretariat covering a diverse range of material including reporting on recent events in which we have been involved around the world. Here at IALA we continue to enjoy yet another excellent year.
Committees
As I write IALA HQ is ready to welcome our Committees back for the second session of the year. From 21 September to 23 October headquarters will once again be at the heart of IALA’s technical work and collaboration. Members are warmly invited to register in advance, and we look forward to welcoming you soon.
21st IALA Conference
We have published the call for abstracts for the 21st IALA conference to be held from 8 to 12 November 2027 in Mumbai, India, and the response has been good with 186 submissions received.
At the beginning of September, at HQ, we held a meeting of the Conference Steering Group at which we were able to cast the die for the event’s diary covering our obligations towards the membership at this prestigious gathering which includes the customary General Assembly.
We look forward to making the conference in India a splendid example of international cooperation.
Communications
Once again, I urge all our readers to keep in touch with IALA by using the website https://www.iala.int/ Through this medium you can be informed of forthcoming meetings, new publications, our news and, of course, the IALA e-Bulletin which continues to be of much value in spreading the word. At this point I have to thank our many contributors who send in material that makes all this possible.
Looking ahead
AtoN management
Currently the IALA World-Wide Academy, in partnership with China MSA, has been hosting an important training programme in Wenzhou, aimed at strengthening competencies in marine aids to navigation (AtoN) management and navigational risk assessment.
Concurrently there was a course on GNSS and e-Navigation in Constanța, Romania.
Regional Technical Seminar, Portugal
On 3 November afour-day technical seminar aimed at Portuguese-speaking African countries, directed at entities responsible for navigation safety will commence. This event seeks to strengthen national capacities and promote Lusophone cooperation in the maritime domain.
Master of Marine AtoN Management Course, Kolkata, India
Six days later, on 9 November, there will be held a high-level programme designed for senior management professionals, focusing on the strategic dimensions of aids to navigation (AtoN) governance. This course will equip participants involved in the provision or oversight of AtoN services with the knowledge and tools required for effective decision-making, policy development, and leadership.
Workshop on VDES Satellites
10 November 2026
IALA, in association with the Japan Coast Guard (JCG) and the Ocean Policy Research Institute (OPRI) of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation is hosting a Workshop on Satellites VDES, to be held in Tokyo, Japan, from 10 to 13 November 2026. Registration is now open.
For WWA course details and registration information readers are invited to see the IALA World-Wide Academy training schedule on the website: https://academy.iala.int/product-category/calendar/
To conclude
To conclude, let us not forget our mantra Successful Voyages, Sustainable Planet which reflects our commitment to promoting maritime safety and environmental protection.
With all good wishes for your missions ahead, I expect we will meet again soon.
Francis Zachariae.
