Mr. Ponomarev is one of two winners of the 2006 prize, as the Council decided, for the first time, and exceptionally to award two prizes for that year: one to Mr. Ponomarev, posthumously, and another to Mr. Alfred Popp (Canada), in recognition of his long and distinguished service to the cause of maritime safety and security and the protection of the marine environment, highlighted by his work representing Canada at IMO and his
chairmanship of IMO's Legal Committee from 1993 to 2006.   Mr. Popp will be presented with his prize during a special ceremony during the 93rd session of the Legal Committee, which is being held in Panama City, Panama, from 22 to 26 October.

The prestigious International Maritime Prize for 2006 has been awarded posthumously to Mr. Igor Ponomarev (Russian Federation), who was the serving chairman of IMO's Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) at the time of his sudden death in October 2006, age 41, and who had already given distinguished service to the shipping industry in a variety of senior positions both within and outside IMO.

The International Maritime Prize is awarded annually by IMO to the individual or organization judged to have made the most significant contribution to the work and objectives of IMO. The 98th session of the IMO Council in June 2007 took the decision to award the prize to Mr. Ponomarev posthumously in recognition of his contribution to the objectives of the Organization.

Mr. Ponomarev graduated from St. Petersburg State Maritime Technical University as a naval architect and joined the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping (RS) in 1988, where he served first as a Senior Surveyor, then as Principal Surveyor/Coordinator for IMO-related activities, later as Head of the International Department and, subsequently, from 1999 to 2003, as Vice Director-General of RS.

He was closely involved with the development of the Russian Federation's participation in IMO's activities since 1993 and chaired various IMO working and drafting groups, including the MSC Working Groups on Tanker Safety and Bulk Carrier Safety from 1999 to 2002.

Designated as the Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to IMO in 2003, Mr. Ponomarev was Chairman of the Sub-Committee on Ship Design and Equipment from 2003 to 2005. During his tenure as chair of that Sub-Committee, he successfully oversaw complex technical issues including the revision of IMO Assembly resolution A.744(18) on the Guidelines on the enhanced programme of inspections during surveys of bulk carriers and oil tankers, as well as that of SOLAS chapter XII, which provides additional safety measures for bulk carriers. Mr. Ponomarev also chaired the Technical Committee of IMO's 24th Assembly at the end of 2005. He was elected chairman of the MSC by acclamation in 2005 and chaired his first, and only, MSC meeting in May 2006. He was also a member of the Board of Governors of the World Maritime University.

Mr. Ponomarev was, furthermore, a Member of the Council of the International
Association of Classification Societies (IACS) and served as its Chairman from 2001 to 2002.

The Igor Ponomarev Scholarship Fund:The Igor Ponomarev Scholarship Fund has been established with the aim of raising US$50,000 to support the attendance of a student on the 17-month MSC programme at the World Maritime University.