Birgit Sølling Olsen to Receive International Maritime Prize

Former Deputy Director-General of the Danish Maritime Authority, Ms. Birgit Sølling Olsen, will receive IMO’s International Maritime Prize for 2017 on Thursday, 6 December. The award ceremony can be streamed live on IMO's website.

A press note from Danish Maritime Authority said that the ceremony takes place in conjunction with the meeting of the IMO’s Maritime Safety Committee.

Director-General of the Danish Maritime Authority, Andreas Nordseth, said:  “We are all very proud of her. Birgit is highly respected by colleagues and stakeholders, from all over the world, for her professional expertise within the maritime field, and for her determination to find sustainable solutions that can gain broad support.”

Birgit Sølling Olsen was nominated by the Government of Denmark, as well as by the International Chamber of Shipping and International Group of P & I Clubs. The nomination was based on her long-standing and selfless contribution to IMO as a Danish representative, with particular focus on the legal aspects of the Organization's work.

Throughout most of her career, Birgit Sølling Olsen worked with Danish and international shipping issues. Most recently in the Danish Maritime Authority from 1996 to 2017, where she was Deputy Director-General from 2003 until her retirement in 2017.

The Prize is awarded once a year to a person or an organisation who has made a significant contribution to the work and purpose of the IMO. Last year the Prize went to IMO’s former Secretary-General, Mr. Koji Sekimizu of Japan.