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IMO News_3/04
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IM NEWS<br />
THE MAGAZINE OF THE INTERNATIONAL MARITIME ORGANIZATION<br />
ISSUE 3 . 20<strong>04</strong><br />
NEW SECURITY REGIME ENTERS FORCE<br />
AIR POLLUTION RULES PASS<br />
RATIFICATION TARGETS<br />
TIME TO BOOST SHIPPING’S IMAGE AS<br />
QM2 HIGHLIGHTS ACHIEVEMENTS
<strong>IMO</strong> <strong>News</strong> • Issue 3 20<strong>04</strong><br />
The leading trade show in Holland<br />
for the total maritime industry<br />
Visit Rotterdam Maritime 20<strong>04</strong>:<br />
the leading maritime<br />
business-to-business event!<br />
16 - 20<br />
November<br />
2 0 0 4<br />
Contents<br />
Opinion<br />
4-5 <strong>IMO</strong> 20<strong>04</strong>; Focus on Maritime Security – The World Maritime Day address<br />
from <strong>IMO</strong> Secretary-General Efthimios E. Mitropoulos<br />
Intelligence<br />
The Queen Mary 2<br />
– an achievement in shipping that<br />
should help raise the industry’s profile<br />
The International Maritime<br />
Organization (<strong>IMO</strong>)<br />
4, Albert Embankment<br />
London SE1 7SR<br />
UK<br />
Tel +44 (0)20 7735 7611<br />
Fax +44 (0)20 7587 3210<br />
Email (general enquiries)<br />
info@imo.org<br />
Website www.imo.org<br />
Rotterdam Maritime is the important<br />
Dutch meeting point for the maritime sector.<br />
With more than 500 exhibitors and all<br />
the important national and international<br />
maritime organisations present, the trade<br />
fair offers you a clear and complete<br />
overview of the entire maritime market.<br />
With the well-known good informal<br />
atmosphere and diversity of business<br />
presentations Rotterdam Maritime provides<br />
an exclusive environment to do business in<br />
the heart of the maritime industry!<br />
Don’t miss it!<br />
Register now at www.rotterdammaritime.nl<br />
All business is local: Rotterdam Maritime 20<strong>04</strong><br />
New Opening Times:<br />
Tuesday 16 / Wednesday 17 November : 11.00 - 19.00 hrs<br />
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E-mail: info@rotterdammaritime.nl<br />
7 SOLAS security amendments and ISPS Code now in force<br />
9 Council supports shipping lanes initiative; SOLAS - more key<br />
amendments enter force<br />
10 Air pollution rules to enter force in 2005; Flurry of activity as Athens<br />
Protocol signature period ends<br />
11 Persons rescued at sea - guidance to be enhanced<br />
Feature<br />
13-24 <strong>IMO</strong> 20<strong>04</strong>: Focus on Maritime Security<br />
As the shipping world celebrates World Maritime Day, this in-depth feature<br />
examines the special focus that <strong>IMO</strong> has placed on maritime security over<br />
the years and the particular attention the subject has received during the<br />
period since the terrorist atrocities of 11 September 2001<br />
Meetings<br />
26 Legal Committee (LEG) 88th session<br />
27-30 Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) 78th session<br />
31-32 Technical Co-operation Committee (TC) 54th session<br />
33-34 Sub-Committee on Safety of Navigation (Nav) 50th session<br />
35-36 Facilitation Committee (FAL) 31st session<br />
<strong>IMO</strong> at Work<br />
37 Chairmen meet to streamline procedures; SG visits Mediterranean pollution<br />
centre; New generation of lawyers graduates from IMLI; Mahgreb issues<br />
highlighted in FAL seminar; Seatrade awards – entries sought<br />
38 QM2 model prompts celebration of shipping; Mural highlights cleanliness;<br />
council makes WMU appointments; New navaids tender for Middle East<br />
Managing Editor<br />
Lee Adamson<br />
(ladamson@imo.org)<br />
Assistant Editor<br />
Natasha Brown<br />
(nbrown@imo.org)<br />
Editorial production<br />
Aubrey Botsford,<br />
Brian Starkey<br />
Advertising<br />
Hanna Moreton<br />
(hmoreton@imo.org,<br />
tel +44 (0)20 7735 7611)<br />
Distribution<br />
Lesley Brooks<br />
(lbrooks@imo.org)<br />
<strong>IMO</strong> <strong>News</strong> is the magazine of<br />
the International Maritime<br />
Organization and is<br />
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Copyright © <strong>IMO</strong> 20<strong>04</strong><br />
Pub 557/<strong>04</strong><br />
N<strong>04</strong>2E<br />
www.imo.org. No.3 20<strong>04</strong> <strong>IMO</strong> NEWS 3
Opinion<br />
Message from<br />
the Secretary-General<br />
Mr. Efthimios Mitropoulos<br />
World Maritime Day 20<strong>04</strong><br />
<strong>IMO</strong> 20<strong>04</strong>:<br />
Focus on maritime security<br />
In 2002, <strong>IMO</strong> acknowledged its changing<br />
priorities by endorsing a new mission statement,<br />
an evolution from the then theme of “Safer<br />
Shipping and Cleaner Oceans” to “Safe, Secure and<br />
Efficient Shipping on Clean Oceans”. This better<br />
reflects the broader objectives of the Organization<br />
and provides a blueprint for future action. In<br />
selecting our World Maritime Day theme for this<br />
year, we have chosen to highlight the increased<br />
emphasis that <strong>IMO</strong> has placed recently on<br />
maritime security.<br />
If the natural perils of the sea were not sufficient,<br />
today, as we all know, shipping has additionally to<br />
confront the man-made threat of crime at sea,<br />
which is often violent and brutal, along with the<br />
scourge of international terrorism. Regrettably, this<br />
is not a new phenomenon. As long ago as the late<br />
1970s, <strong>IMO</strong> was forced to turn its attention to<br />
unlawful acts such as barratry, the unlawful seizure<br />
of ships and their cargoes and other forms of<br />
maritime fraud; and, since 1982, we have been<br />
monitoring acts of piracy and armed robbery<br />
against ships in various parts of the world and have<br />
taken measures to combat them in those areas that<br />
suffer most. Perhaps the most disconcerting aspect<br />
in all these efforts is that the degree of violence in<br />
incidents involving piracy and armed robbery<br />
seems to be increasing.<br />
Following the 1985 incident, in which terrorists<br />
hijacked the Italian cruise ship Achille Lauro and<br />
killed a passenger before agreeing terms to end<br />
their siege, <strong>IMO</strong> developed a series of technical<br />
measures to prevent unlawful acts against<br />
passengers and crews on board ships and later on,<br />
in March 1988, adopted the Convention for the<br />
Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against the Safety of<br />
Maritime Navigation - the SUA Convention - and its<br />
Protocol relating to offshore platforms.<br />
The principal purpose of the SUA instruments is to<br />
ensure that persons committing unlawful acts<br />
against ships will not be given shelter in any<br />
country but will either be prosecuted or extradited<br />
to a State where they will stand trial.<br />
The dreadful events of 11 September 2001 gave<br />
unprecedented impetus to <strong>IMO</strong>’s concern about<br />
unlawful acts which threaten the safety of ships and<br />
their passengers and crews. In the wake of 9/11, it<br />
became clear that the shipping industry needed a<br />
new, more stringent and more comprehensive set<br />
of measures to address the question of maritime<br />
security. In November 2001, the <strong>IMO</strong> Assembly<br />
called for a thorough review of all existing<br />
measures to combat acts of violence and crime at<br />
sea. At the same time, Contracting Governments to<br />
the Safety of Life at Sea Convention attending the<br />
Assembly agreed to hold a diplomatic conference<br />
on maritime security in December 2002 to adopt<br />
any new security regulations and measures that<br />
might be deemed necessary. The Assembly also<br />
agreed a significant boost of £1.5 million to the<br />
Organization’s technical co-operation programme to<br />
help developing countries address maritime<br />
security issues.<br />
The 2002 Conference adopted a series of wideranging<br />
new security measures, along with 11<br />
associated resolutions, which represented the<br />
culmination of a great deal of intense and detailed<br />
work in <strong>IMO</strong> during the preceding year. These<br />
new measures entered into force on 1 July 20<strong>04</strong>.<br />
The most far-reaching of them is the International<br />
Ship and Port Facility Security Code – the ISPS<br />
Code. It provides a consistent, standardized<br />
framework for evaluating risk, enabling<br />
Governments to offset changes in threat with<br />
changes in vulnerability for ships and port facilities<br />
through the determination of appropriate security<br />
levels and corresponding security measures.<br />
<strong>IMO</strong>’s efforts to improve maritime security have<br />
been part of an all-embracing initiative across the<br />
UN system to tackle terrorism. UN Security<br />
Council resolution 1368 was adopted the day after<br />
the 9/11 attacks and, since then, several more UN<br />
resolutions have been adopted to counter<br />
terrorism. Security Council resolution 1456, for<br />
example, adopted in January 2003, requested States<br />
to assist each other to improve their capacity to<br />
prevent and fight terrorism and invited the<br />
Counter-Terrorism Committee to facilitate the<br />
provision of technical and other assistance by<br />
developing targets and priorities for global action.<br />
This resolution also calls on international<br />
organizations, such as <strong>IMO</strong>, to evaluate ways in<br />
which they can enhance the effectiveness of their<br />
action against terrorism, including by establishing<br />
dialogue and exchanges of information with each<br />
other.<br />
To this end, <strong>IMO</strong> has participated in UN-organized<br />
activities such as the Special Meeting of the<br />
Counter-Terrorism Committee in March 2003 and<br />
the meeting of the Counter-Terrorism Action<br />
Group in February this year. That group was<br />
established by the G-8 Leaders in June 2003 to<br />
serve as a forum for co-ordinating and expanding<br />
the provision of counter-terrorism training and<br />
assistance.<br />
The boundaries between acts of terrorism<br />
and crime are often indistinct and, within<br />
the overall perspective of the UN’s fight<br />
against terrorism, it is important also to<br />
mention the United Nations Convention<br />
against Transnational Organized Crime,<br />
adopted by the General Assembly in<br />
November 2000 and which entered into<br />
force in September 2003. <strong>IMO</strong> has been<br />
working with the UN Office on Drugs and<br />
Crime in this context. Also adopted by the<br />
General Assembly was a Protocol developed<br />
to supplement the Convention, aimed at<br />
combating the smuggling of migrants by<br />
land, air and sea. This Protocol reflects the<br />
relevant provisions of <strong>IMO</strong>’s own measures<br />
for combating unsafe practices associated<br />
with the trafficking or transport of migrants<br />
by sea, which were updated in 2001.<br />
<strong>IMO</strong> has also been working in co-operation<br />
with the International Labour Organization<br />
and the World Customs Organization on key<br />
issues with a bearing on maritime security.<br />
In July 2002, <strong>IMO</strong> and WCO signed a<br />
Memorandum of Understanding for cooperation<br />
on such issues of mutual interest<br />
as container examination and integrity in<br />
multimodal transport and matters relating to<br />
the ship/port interface. Following a request<br />
by the 2002 International Conference on<br />
Maritime Security, a new seafarers’ identity<br />
document was developed by ILO<br />
establishing a more rigorous identity regime<br />
for seafarers, whilst a joint ILO/<strong>IMO</strong><br />
Working Group has developed an ILO/<strong>IMO</strong><br />
Code of Practice on Security in Ports, which<br />
was adopted by the two Organizations<br />
earlier this year.<br />
In the broader scheme of things, <strong>IMO</strong>’s<br />
work in the realm of maritime security<br />
provides support for its objectives in<br />
enhancing safety and also preventing<br />
pollution of the marine environment. The<br />
detrimental impact on the environment of a<br />
successful attack on a ship laden with oil,<br />
chemicals or other hazardous or noxious<br />
substances could be immense and, by<br />
raising our defences against terrorists, we<br />
are providing further protection in this<br />
respect.<br />
It is very much in the spirit of international<br />
co-operation to counter the universal threat<br />
of terrorism that <strong>IMO</strong> has undertaken a farreaching<br />
and multi-faceted programme of<br />
technical assistance, aimed at helping<br />
Governments strengthen maritime and port<br />
security, particularly in the developing<br />
world.<br />
<strong>IMO</strong> actually launched its global technical<br />
co-operation programme on maritime<br />
security in January 2002, that is 11 months<br />
before the package of new maritime security<br />
measures was adopted. The aim of the<br />
programme initially was to raise awareness<br />
of maritime security threats and of the<br />
possible future regulatory measures which,<br />
at that stage, were still under development,<br />
through activities such as regional and subregional<br />
seminars, workshops, training<br />
courses and advisory missions.<br />
Subsequently, the emphasis has moved on<br />
to practical matters and implementation of<br />
the new regulatory regime, with the<br />
development of training programmes and<br />
materials, lesson plans and model courses.<br />
Furthermore, a Maritime Security Trust<br />
Fund has been established to provide a<br />
dedicated source of financial support for our<br />
maritime security technical co-operation<br />
activities.<br />
Governments and the shipping and port<br />
industries made major efforts to improve<br />
maritime security in the weeks and months<br />
that followed the 2002 Conference leading<br />
up to the entry into force of the ISPS Code<br />
and all the related security measures. All<br />
over the world, a huge amount of work was<br />
undertaken to ensure the highest possible<br />
level of compliance. Figures made available<br />
by <strong>IMO</strong> regularly to keep the maritime<br />
community updated on progress being<br />
made indicated that more than 86 per cent<br />
of ships and 69 per cent of port facilities had<br />
their security plans approved by 1 July 20<strong>04</strong>.<br />
Coming close to 100 per cent compliance, I<br />
applaud all those involved for the work<br />
done.<br />
Having agreed that the prime objective of<br />
the work done was to increase awareness of<br />
the real and present threat of terrorism and<br />
explain the implications of the ISPS Code<br />
and how best to implement it and, in so<br />
doing, raise the shipping industry’s<br />
defences to protect it and seaborne trade<br />
from any terrorist attack, we must now<br />
ensure that we remain vigilant and alert in<br />
all respects and in all circumstances.<br />
There were, however, administrative<br />
bottlenecks in the run up to the entry-intoforce<br />
date. Without them, the reported 56<br />
per cent of International Ship Security<br />
Certificates issued by 1 July would have<br />
been much higher. But, although<br />
certification is undoubtedly important, what<br />
really counts is the work that has been done<br />
on the ground: security officers appointed<br />
on ships, in companies and port facilities;<br />
training undertaken; security plans drawn<br />
up; awareness raised; and vigilance<br />
heightened.<br />
It goes almost without saying that<br />
significant and far-reaching measures such<br />
as these cannot be implemented without<br />
cost. The OECD, for example, has estimated<br />
the initial burden on ship operators to be at<br />
least US$1.27bn and US$730m per year<br />
thereafter. On the plus side, however,<br />
efficiency gains and reductions in theft and<br />
fraud are anticipated to exceed the expenses<br />
involved.<br />
However, the price of inaction could<br />
potentially be far greater, as a large, well coordinated<br />
attack could result in the shutting<br />
down of the entire maritime transport<br />
system, with costs likely to be measured in<br />
billions of dollars. Moreover, potential<br />
savings resulting from the introduction of<br />
the new measures are also identified in the<br />
OECD report due to reduced delays, faster<br />
processing times, better asset control and<br />
fewer losses due to theft.<br />
Another important element in all this is to<br />
realize the need for balance, not just in the<br />
cost/benefit equation but in other aspects,<br />
too. We must try to achieve the right<br />
balance between the need to implement the<br />
new security regime strictly and robustly<br />
and yet ensure that disruption to global<br />
trade, as a result of the introduction of<br />
security measures, is kept to a minimum; we<br />
must find a balance between the traditional<br />
and legally enshrined right of ships to enjoy<br />
freedom of navigation on the high seas, and<br />
the need to make sure that strategic and<br />
potentially vulnerable sea lanes have the<br />
special protection they may need; and we<br />
must find a balance between the need to<br />
tighten security provisions so that criminals<br />
and terrorists cannot gain access to ships<br />
and port facilities by posing as seafarers,<br />
while ensuring that innocent seafarers are<br />
not themselves unfairly penalized as a<br />
result.<br />
If shipping really is to continue on its path<br />
towards being safer, cleaner, more secure<br />
and more efficient, it needs to attract staff of<br />
high quality and high calibre and I look to<br />
all involved to recognize and appreciate the<br />
contribution seafarers the world over make<br />
towards safety, security and environmental<br />
protection.<br />
To conclude: even though the new<br />
international maritime security measures<br />
are now in force, we must not make the<br />
mistake of resting on our laurels and<br />
assuming the work has been completed.<br />
The risks are too high to allow for any hint<br />
of complacency and we must make sure that<br />
high levels of vigilance and awareness are<br />
maintained and built upon until they become<br />
second nature throughout the shipping and<br />
port industries. Terrorism is not a matter of<br />
concern to one country or a group of<br />
countries – it is a global issue that affects us<br />
all and we should spare no effort to ensure<br />
that, together, we build a robust and<br />
resilient defence.<br />
May we never experience the bitter and<br />
painful experience of a terrorist act against<br />
shipping.<br />
4 <strong>IMO</strong> NEWS No.3 20<strong>04</strong> www.imo.org.<br />
www.imo.org. No.3 20<strong>04</strong> <strong>IMO</strong> NEWS 5
Intelligence<br />
SOLAS security amendments and<br />
ISPS Code now in force<br />
New international maritime security<br />
measures are now in force.<br />
Crewmen from a US Coast Guard<br />
Cutter stand ready to protect an oil<br />
tanker transiting Prince William<br />
Sound en route the Port of Valdez<br />
(Pic: US Coast Guard)<br />
Far-reaching international maritime security<br />
measures developed and adopted by <strong>IMO</strong><br />
entered into force on 1 July 20<strong>04</strong>. The security<br />
measures, which include the International Ship and<br />
Port Facility Security Code (ISPS Code), are in the<br />
form of amendments to the 1974 Safety of Life at Sea<br />
(SOLAS) Convention and are aimed at enhancing<br />
maritime security on board ships and at ship/port<br />
interface areas. They were adopted by a Conference<br />
on Maritime Security in December 2002.<br />
The bulk of the new security measures are<br />
included in a new Chapter XI-2, entitled Special<br />
measures to enhance maritime security. The new<br />
chapter applies to passenger ships and cargo ships<br />
of 500 gross tonnage and above, including high<br />
speed craft, mobile offshore drilling units and port<br />
facilities serving such ships engaged on international<br />
voyages, and it enshrines the much-heralded ISPS<br />
Code.<br />
The ISPS Code<br />
The ISPS Code contains detailed security-related<br />
requirements for implementation by Governments,<br />
port authorities and shipping companies in a<br />
mandatory section (Part A), together with a series of<br />
guidelines about how to meet these requirements in<br />
a second, non-mandatory section (Part B). It is the<br />
first ever internationally agreed regulatory<br />
framework addressing the crucial issue of maritime<br />
security and represents the international maritime<br />
community’s contribution to the global resistance<br />
against terrorism.<br />
The Code requires a ship security plan to be<br />
drawn up for all SOLAS vessels, and for the plan to<br />
be approved by the flag State administration. Each<br />
ship must also have a designated ship security<br />
officer and each shipping company must appoint a<br />
company security officer. Similarly, port facilities are<br />
also required to have an approved security plan and<br />
to appoint a designated security officer.<br />
Security plans<br />
Both shipboard and port facility security plans<br />
must set out the details of measures to be put in<br />
place at each of three escalating security levels.<br />
National Administrations are required to set the<br />
security levels and ensure that security level<br />
information is provided to ships entitled to fly their<br />
flag. Prior to entering a port, or whilst in a port,<br />
within the territory of a Contracting Government to<br />
the SOLAS Convention, a ship shall comply with the<br />
requirements for the security level set by that<br />
Contracting Government, if that security level is<br />
higher than the security level set by the<br />
Administration for that ship.<br />
www.imo.org. No.3 20<strong>04</strong> <strong>IMO</strong> NEWS 7
Intelligence<br />
Intelligence<br />
SOLAS security amendments and ISPS Code now in force (Continued)<br />
<strong>IMO</strong> Council supports initiative to keep<br />
strategic shipping lanes open<br />
The new chapter confirms the role of the<br />
master in exercising his professional<br />
judgement over decisions necessary to<br />
maintain the security of the ship. The master<br />
shall not be constrained by the Company, the<br />
charterer or any other person in this respect.<br />
It also requires all ships to be provided<br />
with a ship security alert system, fitted<br />
according to a strict timetable which requires<br />
most vessels to be fitted by 20<strong>04</strong> and the<br />
remainder by 2006. When activated, the ship<br />
security alert system shall initiate and<br />
transmit a ship-to-shore security alert to a<br />
competent authority designated by the<br />
Administration, identifying the ship, its<br />
location and indicating that the security of<br />
the ship is under threat or has been<br />
compromised. The system will not raise any<br />
alarm on board the ship. The ship security<br />
alert system shall be capable of being<br />
activated from the navigation bridge and in at<br />
least one other location.<br />
Other regulations in this chapter cover the<br />
provision of information to <strong>IMO</strong>, the specific<br />
responsibilities of shipping companies, and<br />
the control of ships in port, including<br />
measures relating to the delay, detention or<br />
restriction of operations including movement<br />
within the port or expulsion of a ship from<br />
port.<br />
To improve the traceability of ships on the<br />
high seas, regulation XI-1/3 of the existing<br />
SOLAS Chapter XI on Special measures to<br />
enhance maritime safety (re-numbered as<br />
Chapter XI-1) is modified to require ships’<br />
identification numbers to be permanently<br />
marked in a visible place either on the hull or<br />
superstructure. Passenger ships should carry<br />
the marking on a horizontal surface visible<br />
from the air. Ships should also be marked<br />
with their identification numbers internally.<br />
In the same vein, a new regulation XI-1/5<br />
requires ships to be issued with a Continuous<br />
Synopsis Record (CSR) which is intended to<br />
provide an on-board record of the history of<br />
the ship. The CSR shall be issued by the<br />
Administration and shall contain information<br />
such as the name of the ship and the State<br />
whose flag the ship is entitled to fly, the date<br />
on which the ship was registered with that<br />
State, the ship’s identification number, the<br />
port at which the ship is registered and the<br />
name of the registered owner(s) and their<br />
registered address. Any changes shall be<br />
recorded in the CSR so as to provide updated<br />
and current information together with the<br />
history of the changes.<br />
Modifications to SOLAS Chapter V (Safety<br />
of Navigation) contain a new timetable for the<br />
fitting of Automatic Information Systems<br />
(AIS). Ships, other than passenger ships and<br />
tankers, of 300 gross tonnage and above but<br />
less than 50,000 gross tonnage, are required<br />
to fit AIS not later than the first safety<br />
equipment survey after 1 July 20<strong>04</strong> or by 31<br />
December 20<strong>04</strong>, whichever occurs earlier.<br />
Ships fitted with AIS shall maintain AIS in<br />
operation at all times except where<br />
international agreements, rules or standards<br />
provide for the protection of navigational<br />
information.<br />
<strong>IMO</strong> Secretary-General Efthimios E.<br />
Mitropoulos welcomed the major effort made<br />
by Governments and the shipping and port<br />
industries to improve maritime security in<br />
the weeks and months leading up to the<br />
entry into force of the ISPS Code and related<br />
security measures.<br />
Mr Mitropoulos said, “I think we now have<br />
to look on the positive side and remember<br />
that the prime objective of this work has been<br />
to increase awareness of the real and present<br />
threat of terrorism, explain the implications<br />
of the ISPS Code and how best to implement<br />
it and, in so doing, raise the shipping<br />
industry’s defences to protect it and seaborne<br />
trade from any act of terrorism. There is no<br />
doubt that that has been done, the defences<br />
are significantly higher than they were<br />
before, and we must now ensure that they<br />
continue to rise.”<br />
Mr Mitropoulos acknowledged that there<br />
had been administrative bottlenecks in the<br />
run up to the entry into force date and that,<br />
without them, the reported numbers of<br />
security certificates issued by the deadline<br />
date would have been higher. “But,” he<br />
added, “important though certification<br />
undoubtedly it is, what really counts is the<br />
work that has been done on the ground:<br />
security officers appointed on ships, in<br />
companies and port facilities, training<br />
undertaken, security plans drawn up,<br />
awareness raised, and vigilance heightened.”<br />
By early August, <strong>IMO</strong> was able to report<br />
that, according to the latest figures available<br />
to the <strong>IMO</strong> Secretariat from reports received<br />
by Governments, 89.5 per cent of over 9000<br />
declared port facilities had their Port Facility<br />
Security Plans approved, while the<br />
information available from industry sources<br />
on International Ship Security Certificates<br />
(ISSCs) issued for ships which have to<br />
comply with the new regulatory regime,<br />
indicates that the compliance rate was well<br />
beyond the 90 per cent mark.<br />
Ships and ports were both nearing 100 per cent ISPS Code compliance, according to August figures (Port of Hull)<br />
The <strong>IMO</strong> Council has supported<br />
Secretary-General Mitropoulos’s<br />
initiative to identify shipping lanes of<br />
strategic importance and significance which<br />
may be vulnerable to terrorist attacks and to<br />
work with all parties concerned to ensure<br />
they are kept open under all circumstances,<br />
allowing the uninterrupted flow of traffic.<br />
The Council, which met for its 92nd<br />
session from 21 to 25 June, authorized the<br />
Secretary-General to consult with the littoral<br />
States involved and other stakeholder States<br />
on the issue of ensuring security throughout<br />
strategic shipping lanes and to report to<br />
Council at its next session in November<br />
20<strong>04</strong>.<br />
SOLAS – more key amendments enter force<br />
In addition to the security-related measures,<br />
a series of other important SOLAS<br />
amendments adopted in December 2002 by<br />
the expanded Maritime Safety Committee<br />
(MSC), also enter into force on 1 July 20<strong>04</strong>.<br />
They include:<br />
Chapter XII (Additional Safety Measures for<br />
Bulk Carriers)<br />
• New regulation XII/12 on Hold, ballast<br />
and dry space water level detectors<br />
requires the fitting of high level alarms<br />
and level monitoring systems on all bulk<br />
carriers, in order to detect water ingress.<br />
The regulation requires the fitting of<br />
such alarms on all bulk carriers<br />
regardless of their date of construction.<br />
• New regulation XII/13 on Availability of<br />
pumping systems requires the means for<br />
draining and pumping dry space bilges<br />
and ballast tanks any part of which is<br />
located forward of the collision bulkhead<br />
to be capable of being brought into<br />
operation from a readily accessible<br />
enclosed space.<br />
Chapter II-1 (Construction - structure,<br />
subdivision and stability, machinery and<br />
electrical installations)<br />
• In Part B (Subdivision and stability), a<br />
new regulation II-1/3-6 Access to spaces<br />
The <strong>IMO</strong> Secretariat has<br />
begun research to identify<br />
shipping lanes which may be at<br />
risk of terrorist attacks, with a<br />
view to working with others to<br />
protect the interests of safety,<br />
security, the environment and<br />
seaborne trade.<br />
Singapore enjoys a strategic location<br />
at one end of the Malacca Strait,<br />
identified as a vital trade thoroughfare<br />
in cargo areas of oil tankers and bulk<br />
carriers is intended to ensure that<br />
vessels can be properly inspected<br />
throughout their lifespan, by designing<br />
and building the ship to provide suitable<br />
means for access. Associated technical<br />
provisions for means of access for<br />
inspections are mandatory under the<br />
regulation. Without adequate access, the<br />
structural condition of the vessel can<br />
deteriorate undetected and major<br />
structural failure can arise. The<br />
regulation requires each space within the<br />
cargo area to be provided with an<br />
appropriate means of access to enable,<br />
throughout the life of a ship, overall and<br />
close-up inspections and thickness<br />
measurements of the ship’s structures to<br />
be carried out.<br />
• In Part C (Machinery Installation), a new<br />
paragraph added to regulation 31<br />
(Machinery control) requires automation<br />
systems to be designed in a manner<br />
which ensures that threshold warning of<br />
impending or imminent slowdown or<br />
shutdown of the propulsion system is<br />
given to the officer in charge of the<br />
navigational watch in time to assess<br />
navigational circumstances in an<br />
emergency.<br />
Chapter II-2 (Fire protection, fire detection and<br />
fire extinction)<br />
• The amendments concern references to<br />
the IMDG Code and reflect amendments<br />
to SOLAS chapter VII (Carriage of<br />
Dangerous Goods) adopted in May 2002<br />
which make the International Maritime<br />
Dangerous Goods Code (IMDG Code)<br />
mandatory.<br />
Chapter III (Life-saving appliances and<br />
arrangements)<br />
• Amendments to Regulation 26<br />
(Additional requirements for ro-ro<br />
passenger ships) require liferafts carried<br />
on ro-ro passenger ships to be fitted with<br />
a radar transponder in the ratio of one<br />
transponder for every four liferafts. The<br />
regulation is made applicable to existing<br />
ships as well as new ships.<br />
INF Code<br />
• The amendments to the International<br />
Code for the Safe Carriage of Packaged<br />
Irradiated Nuclear Fuel, Plutonium and<br />
High-Level Radioactive Wastes on board<br />
Ships (INF Code) in the sections on<br />
definitions and application reflect<br />
amendments to SOLAS chapter VII<br />
(Carriage of Dangerous Goods) adopted<br />
in May 2002 which make the IMDG<br />
Code mandatory.<br />
8 <strong>IMO</strong> NEWS No.3 20<strong>04</strong> www.imo.org.<br />
www.imo.org. No.3 20<strong>04</strong> <strong>IMO</strong> NEWS 9
Intelligence<br />
Intelligence<br />
Air pollution rules to enter force in 2005<br />
Persons rescued at sea – more<br />
guidance to be developed<br />
Regulations for the Prevention of Air<br />
Pollution from Ships are set to enter into<br />
force on 19 May 2005 following the<br />
ratification by Samoa of MARPOL Annex VI.<br />
Annex VI sets limits on sulphur oxide and<br />
nitrogen oxide emissions from ship exhausts<br />
and prohibits deliberate emissions of ozonedepleting<br />
substances. The regulations<br />
There was a flurry of activity in the<br />
week leading up to the closure of the<br />
period for signature of the 2002 Protocol to<br />
the Athens Convention Relating to the<br />
Carriage of Passengers and their Luggage<br />
by Sea, 1974. Four countries – Finland,<br />
Germany, Sweden and the United<br />
Kingdom – signed the Protocol (subject to<br />
ratification) during the final week of the<br />
signature period, which ended today (April<br />
30th 20<strong>04</strong>), bringing the total number of<br />
signatory States to six. Norway and Spain<br />
had already signed.<br />
include a global cap of 4.5 per cent m/m on<br />
the sulphur content of fuel oil and calls on<br />
<strong>IMO</strong> to monitor the worldwide average<br />
sulphur content of fuel once the Protocol<br />
comes into force.<br />
It also contains provisions allowing for<br />
special “SOx Emission Control Areas” to be<br />
established with more stringent controls on<br />
Regulations for the Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships are set to enter into force in May 2005<br />
Flurry of activity as 2002 Athens<br />
Protocol signature period ends<br />
Under the 2002 Protocol the limits of<br />
liability have been raised significantly to<br />
reflect present day conditions and the<br />
“tacit amendment” procedure has been<br />
introduced to enable limits to be more<br />
easily raised in the future. As well as<br />
substantially raising the limits of liability<br />
for passenger claims, the 2002 Protocol<br />
also introduces other helpful mechanisms<br />
to assist passengers in obtaining<br />
compensation based on well-accepted<br />
principles applied in existing liability and<br />
compensation regimes dealing with<br />
sulphur emissions. In these areas, the<br />
sulphur content of fuel oil used on board<br />
ships must not exceed 1.5 per cent m/m.<br />
Alternatively, ships must fit an exhaust gas<br />
cleaning system or use any other<br />
technological method to limit SOx emissions.<br />
The Baltic Sea Area is designated as a SOx<br />
Emission Control area in the Protocol. In<br />
March 2000, the MEPC approved a proposed<br />
amendment to Annex VI to also include the<br />
North Sea as a SOx Emission Control Area.<br />
The aim is to adopt the amendment once<br />
MARPOL Annex VI enters into force.<br />
Annex VI prohibits deliberate emissions of<br />
ozone depleting substances, which include<br />
halons and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). New<br />
installations containing ozone-depleting<br />
substances are prohibited on all ships, but<br />
new installations containing hydrochlorofluorocarbons<br />
(HCFCs) are permitted<br />
until 1 January 2020.<br />
The Annex also sets limits on emissions of<br />
nitrogen oxides (NOx) from diesel engines,<br />
and prohibits the incineration on board ships<br />
of certain products, such as contaminated<br />
packaging materials and polychlorinated<br />
biphenyls (PCBs).<br />
The ratification by Samoa on 18 May 20<strong>04</strong><br />
of MARPOL Annex VI means the annex has<br />
now met its entry-into-force criteria and will<br />
enter into force 12 months after that date.<br />
environmental pollution. These include<br />
replacing the fault-based liability system of<br />
the 1974 regime with a strict liability<br />
system for shipping-related incidents,<br />
backed by the requirement for the carrier<br />
to take out compulsory insurance to cover<br />
these potential claims.<br />
The 2002 Protocol was adopted at a<br />
diplomatic conference held in November<br />
2002 at <strong>IMO</strong> Headquarters in London. It<br />
was opened for signature on 1 May 2003.<br />
It will enter into force 12 months after<br />
being accepted by 10 States.<br />
<strong>IMO</strong> is to co-ordinate the development of guidance<br />
for masters, shipowners and governments on how<br />
to respond to situations in which persons rescued at<br />
sea turn out to be refugees, asylum seekers or other<br />
undocumented migrants. The need for such<br />
guidance was agreed by the second meeting of the<br />
United Nations inter-agency initiative on treatment of<br />
persons rescued at sea, held at <strong>IMO</strong> headquarters in<br />
July 20<strong>04</strong>, following the adoption of amendments to<br />
the SOLAS and SAR Conventions, and associated<br />
guidelines for the treatment of persons rescued at<br />
sea, by the 78th session of the Maritime Safety<br />
Committee.<br />
The meeting reaffirmed that <strong>IMO</strong>’s area of<br />
competence was the search-and-rescue-at-sea part of<br />
any such operation and, afterwards, the delivery of<br />
survivors to a place of safety, as regulated by the<br />
SOLAS and SAR Conventions. It also reaffirmed that,<br />
in order to protect the integrity of the SAR System,<br />
the master was not competent, and should not be<br />
required, to decide on the legal status of the persons<br />
rescued. However, the meeting also agreed that, in<br />
general, guidance was required in these instances<br />
for the post-rescue phase to assist the master and<br />
ship-owners and Contracting Governments in those<br />
cases.<br />
It was agreed that such guidance<br />
should be drafted by the inter-agency<br />
group, as a whole, as soon as<br />
possible and would comprise a brief<br />
guide as to which organizations to<br />
contact, their respective major<br />
responsibilities and other relevant<br />
general advice. <strong>IMO</strong> agreed to<br />
provide the coordinating role in the<br />
drafting of this guidance, however, it<br />
was agreed that would in fact be<br />
drafted mainly by other agencies,<br />
such as UNHCR, because it applied<br />
to the post-rescue phase. When<br />
completed, the brief guide would be<br />
intended to further assist the master,<br />
ship-owners, insurance companies,<br />
and other interested parties to<br />
disembark the persons rescued with<br />
the least disruption.<br />
The meeting discussed in detail<br />
the amendments to the SOLAS and<br />
SAR Conventions, and associated<br />
guidelines adopted by MSC 78 and<br />
shared the view that <strong>IMO</strong> Member<br />
States had arrived at a very carefully<br />
crafted compromise which seems to<br />
balance all the often conflicting interest of parties<br />
concerned. The meeting noted that by these<br />
amendments, if accepted by Member States, the<br />
provisions, placed for the first time obligations on<br />
Contracting Governments to “co-ordinate and cooperate”<br />
to progress the matter so that survivors<br />
assisted are disembarked from the assisting ship and<br />
delivered to a place of safety within a reasonable<br />
time.<br />
While the Contracting Government responsible<br />
for the search and rescue region in which such<br />
assistance is rendered shall exercise primary<br />
responsibility for providing a place of safety OR<br />
ensuring that a place of safety is provided, the<br />
meeting agreed with the views of the majority of<br />
Member States who spoke at MSC that this does not<br />
oblige that Government to disembark the persons<br />
rescued in its territory.<br />
In addition to <strong>IMO</strong>, the meeting was attended by<br />
representatives of the UN Division for Ocean Affairs<br />
and the Law of the Sea (DOALOS), the Office of the<br />
United Nations Commissioner for Refugees<br />
(UNHCR), the Office of the United Nations<br />
Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the<br />
International Organization for Migration.<br />
More than 200,000 fled East Timor in<br />
the violence preceding the country’s<br />
independence in 2002. <strong>IMO</strong> is coordinating<br />
the drafting of guidance for<br />
dealing with persons rescued at sea,<br />
whatever their status (Pic: UNHCR)<br />
10 <strong>IMO</strong> NEWS No.3 20<strong>04</strong> www.imo.org.<br />
www.imo.org. No.3 20<strong>04</strong> <strong>IMO</strong> NEWS 11
Security • Feature<br />
<strong>IMO</strong> 20<strong>04</strong>: Focus on maritime<br />
security<br />
Warsash Nautical Books<br />
www.nauticalbooks.co.uk<br />
World Maritime Day 20<strong>04</strong><br />
History and background<br />
The vulnerability of the global transport<br />
infrastructure, both as a potential target for<br />
terrorist activity and, perhaps even more<br />
threateningly, as a potential weapon of mass<br />
destruction, was made clear in the most graphic<br />
and chilling detail in the terrorist atrocities of<br />
11 September 2001.<br />
Subsequently, other incidents, such as the attack<br />
on the oil tanker Limburg off Yemen in October 2002<br />
and the Madrid train bombings in March 20<strong>04</strong>,<br />
demonstrated that the transport infrastructures of<br />
the world, be they national or international, were<br />
vulnerable to terrorist attacks. From the perspective<br />
of an international Organization, <strong>IMO</strong>’s concern has<br />
not been so much which country might be the<br />
terrorists’ next target, but rather which mode of<br />
transport would next attract their interest.<br />
While those tragic events horrified the civilized<br />
world, they also engendered a new and firm resolve<br />
to tackle terrorism by addressing the issue of<br />
security in the widest possible sense. Immediately<br />
after the September 11 attacks, the International<br />
Maritime Organization, as the United Nations<br />
agency responsible for the safety of international<br />
shipping, mounted a swift and thorough response to<br />
the possibility of terrorist activity being directed<br />
against ships or of terrorists seeking to use ships<br />
themselves as weapons or using the proceeds of<br />
shipping activities in order to subsidize their<br />
unlawful operations. As part of this response, the<br />
end of 2002 saw the adoption of a comprehensive<br />
new regulatory regime which sets out in detail what<br />
governments, ship operators, ships’ crews, port<br />
facility operators and others involved in the business<br />
of shipping should do in order to prevent and<br />
minimize this very real threat.<br />
But, although 9/11 gave an unprecedented<br />
impetus to <strong>IMO</strong>’s concern about unlawful acts which<br />
threaten the safety of ships and the security of their<br />
passengers and crews, the subject had, in fact, been<br />
addressed by <strong>IMO</strong> over the course of many years.<br />
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The 9/11 attacks gave an<br />
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(pic: US Coast Guard)<br />
www.imo.org. No.3 20<strong>04</strong> <strong>IMO</strong> NEWS 13
Feature • Security Security • Feature<br />
As long ago as in the late 1970s, <strong>IMO</strong> was<br />
forced to turn its attention to the<br />
consideration of unlawful acts such as<br />
barratry, the unlawful seizure of ships and<br />
their cargoes and other forms of maritime<br />
fraud. Since 1982, the Organization has been<br />
monitoring acts of piracy and armed robbery<br />
against ships in various parts of the world<br />
and has taken measures to combat unlawful<br />
acts in those areas that suffer most from<br />
them. So far, it has received some 3,500<br />
reports involving loss of ships and, in many<br />
cases, loss of life. The most disconcerting<br />
aspect is to see that the degree of violence<br />
asserted in some of the reports is on the<br />
increase.<br />
An early catalyst in the work to combat<br />
terrorism was the Achille Lauro incident in<br />
1985, in which terrorists hijacked an Italian<br />
cruise ship and killed a passenger before<br />
agreeing terms to end their siege. That same<br />
year, <strong>IMO</strong>’s 14th Assembly adopted a<br />
resolution on measures to prevent unlawful<br />
acts which threaten the safety of ships and<br />
the security of their passengers and crews,<br />
inviting <strong>IMO</strong>’s Maritime Safety Committee<br />
(MSC) to develop detailed and practical<br />
technical measures to ensure the security of<br />
passengers and crews on board ships, taking<br />
into account the work of the International<br />
Civil Aviation Organization in the<br />
development of standards and recommended<br />
practices for airport and aircraft security.<br />
Furthermore, in December 1985, the UN<br />
General Assembly called on <strong>IMO</strong> to study the<br />
problem of terrorism aboard or against ships,<br />
with a view to making recommendations on<br />
appropriate measures. By the following year,<br />
the MSC had developed a series of measures<br />
to prevent unlawful acts against passengers<br />
and crews on board ships. An MSC circular<br />
gave guidelines on the steps that should be<br />
taken, with particular reference to passenger<br />
ships engaged on international voyages and<br />
the port facilities which service them.<br />
Then, in November 1986, work began on<br />
the preparation of a convention on the subject<br />
of unlawful acts against the safety of maritime<br />
navigation and, in March 1988, a conference<br />
was held in Rome which adopted the<br />
Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful<br />
Acts against the Safety of Maritime<br />
An early catalyst in the work to combat terrorism was the Achille Lauro incident in 1985. Terrorists hijacked an Italian<br />
cruise ship and killed a passenger before agreeing terms to end their siege<br />
Navigation – the so-called SUA Convention -<br />
and its protocol relating to offshore platforms<br />
to provide for a comprehensive suppression<br />
of unlawful acts committed against the safety<br />
of maritime navigation which endanger<br />
innocent human lives, jeopardise the safety of<br />
persons and property, seriously affect the<br />
operation of maritime services and thus are<br />
of grave concern to the international<br />
community as a whole.<br />
The main purpose of the SUA Convention<br />
is to ensure that appropriate action is taken<br />
against persons committing unlawful acts<br />
against ships – such as the seizure of ships<br />
by force; acts of violence against persons on<br />
board ships; and the placing of devices on<br />
board a ship which are likely to destroy or<br />
damage it. The Convention obliges<br />
Contracting Governments either to extradite<br />
or prosecute alleged offenders.<br />
In the years since its adoption, the SUA<br />
Convention gathered widespread if not<br />
universal acceptance and received sufficient<br />
ratifications to enter into force in 1992. The<br />
recent heightened awareness of security<br />
issues has led to a dramatic increase in the<br />
number of Parties to the SUA Convention.<br />
While in October 2001, it had been ratified by<br />
56 States and the 1988 SUA Protocol by 51<br />
States, by July 20<strong>04</strong> the Convention had been<br />
ratified by 107 countries which between them<br />
were responsible for 81.52 per cent of the<br />
world’s merchant shipping tonnage, and the<br />
Protocol by 96 countries which between them<br />
were responsible for 77.66 per cent of the<br />
world’s tonnage.<br />
The 2002<br />
international maritime<br />
security measures<br />
Unsurprisingly, <strong>IMO</strong>’s work on maritime<br />
security intensified dramatically following the<br />
9/11 attacks in the United States. It had<br />
become clear that the shipping industry<br />
needed a new, more stringent and more<br />
comprehensive set of measures to address<br />
the question of maritime security and <strong>IMO</strong>’s<br />
Secretary-General at the time, Mr William<br />
O’Neil, initiated the process by submitting a<br />
resolution to the Organization’s 22nd<br />
Assembly in November 2001. This called for<br />
a thorough review of all existing measures<br />
A diplomatic conference at <strong>IMO</strong> adopted the new security measures in December 2002<br />
already adopted by <strong>IMO</strong> to combat acts of<br />
violence and crime at sea and was<br />
unanimously approved.<br />
At the same time, Contracting Governments<br />
to the Safety of Life at Sea Convention<br />
attending the Assembly agreed to hold a<br />
diplomatic conference on maritime security to<br />
adopt any new regulations that might be<br />
deemed necessary to enhance ship and port<br />
security and prevent shipping from becoming<br />
a target of international terrorism. The<br />
Assembly also agreed to a significant boost to<br />
the Organization’s technical co-operation<br />
programme of £1.5 million, to help developing<br />
countries address maritime security issues.<br />
The next step was the convening of an<br />
Intersessional Working Group (ISWG) on<br />
Maritime Security, which met from 11 to 15<br />
February 2002. It produced a series of<br />
recommendations, which were further<br />
elaborated by the May 2002 meeting of the<br />
Maritime Safety Committee (MSC 75) as well<br />
as by other <strong>IMO</strong> bodies. A second ISWG was<br />
held in September 2002, to develop the<br />
measures still further, prior to the Diplomatic<br />
Conference, which was convened in<br />
December 2002.<br />
Detailed work was also set underway in<br />
<strong>IMO</strong>’s Legal Committee, which met for its<br />
83rd session in October 2001 and embarked<br />
on a review of the SUA Convention as a<br />
priority item in its work programme over the<br />
next two years. Mindful of the fact that those<br />
responsible for perpetrating terrorist acts<br />
should not be allowed to escape prosecution<br />
and punishment, the objective of the review<br />
was to ensure that SUA Convention and its<br />
Protocol, which provide for the prosecution<br />
or extradition of alleged criminals wherever<br />
they happen to be, remain relevant in the<br />
light of the new global climate of heightened<br />
terrorist threat.<br />
The Diplomatic Conference on Maritime<br />
Security, held at <strong>IMO</strong>’s London<br />
Headquarters, was of crucial significance not<br />
only to the international maritime<br />
community but the world community as a<br />
whole, given the pivotal role shipping plays<br />
in the conduct of world trade. It was attended<br />
by 108 Contracting Governments to the 1974<br />
SOLAS Convention, and observers from two<br />
other <strong>IMO</strong> Member States and two <strong>IMO</strong><br />
Associate Members. United Nations<br />
specialized agencies, intergovernmental<br />
organizations and non-governmental<br />
international organizations also sent<br />
observers.<br />
The outcome of the Conference was a<br />
new, comprehensive security regime for<br />
international shipping (which entered into<br />
force on 1 July 20<strong>04</strong>), representing the<br />
culmination of just over a year’s intense work<br />
by <strong>IMO</strong>’s MSC and its Intersessional<br />
Working Groups. The Conference adopted a<br />
number of amendments to the 1974 Safety of<br />
Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention, the most<br />
far-reaching of which was a new Chapter XI-2<br />
(on Special measures to enhance maritime<br />
security) which enshrines the new<br />
International Ship and Port Facility Security<br />
Code (ISPS Code). This chapter applies to<br />
passenger ships and cargo ships of 500 gross<br />
tonnage and upwards, including high-speed<br />
craft, mobile offshore drilling units and also<br />
applies to port facilities serving such ships<br />
engaged on international voyages.<br />
The Code provides a standardized, consistent framework for evaluating risk, enabling governments to offset changes<br />
in threat with changes in vulnerability for ships and port facilities<br />
14 <strong>IMO</strong> NEWS No.3 20<strong>04</strong> www.imo.org.<br />
www.imo.org. No.3 20<strong>04</strong> <strong>IMO</strong> NEWS 15
Feature • Security Security • Feature<br />
<strong>IMO</strong>’s ISPS Code – providing an international regulatory<br />
framework for maritime security<br />
The ISPS Code contains detailed securityrelated<br />
requirements for Governments, port<br />
authorities and shipping companies in a<br />
mandatory section (Part A), together with a<br />
series of guidelines about how to meet these<br />
requirements in a second, non-mandatory<br />
section (Part B). The Conference also<br />
adopted a series of resolutions designed to<br />
add weight to the SOLAS amendments,<br />
encourage the application of the measures to<br />
ships and port facilities not covered by the<br />
Code and pave the way for future work on the<br />
subject.<br />
The Conference was subsequently referred<br />
to in the United Nations General Assembly,<br />
which adopted a resolution on "Oceans and<br />
the law of the sea", specifically welcoming<br />
initiatives at the International Maritime<br />
Organization to counter the threat to<br />
maritime security from terrorism and<br />
encouraged States fully to support this<br />
endeavour.<br />
The International Ship and<br />
Port Facility Security Code –<br />
how it works<br />
The purpose of the Code is to provide a<br />
standardized, consistent framework for<br />
evaluating risk, enabling governments to<br />
offset changes in threat with changes in<br />
vulnerability for ships and port facilities. In<br />
essence, it takes the approach that ensuring<br />
the security of ships and port facilities is<br />
basically a risk management activity and that<br />
to determine what security measures are<br />
appropriate, an assessment of the risks must<br />
be made in each particular case.<br />
To begin the process, each Contracting<br />
Government was required to conduct port<br />
facility security assessments. These security<br />
assessments have three essential<br />
components. First, they must identify and<br />
evaluate important assets and infrastructures<br />
critical to the port facility, as well as those<br />
areas or structures that, if damaged, could<br />
cause significant loss of life or damage to the<br />
port facility’s economy or environment.<br />
Then, the assessment must consider the<br />
most likely threats to those<br />
critical assets and infrastructure<br />
in order to prioritise security<br />
measures. Finally, the<br />
assessment must address<br />
vulnerability of the port facility<br />
by identifying its weaknesses in<br />
physical security, structural<br />
integrity, protection systems,<br />
procedural policies,<br />
communications systems,<br />
transportation infrastructure,<br />
utilities, and other areas within a<br />
port facility that may be a likely<br />
target. Once this assessment has<br />
been completed, the Contracting<br />
Government can accurately<br />
evaluate risk.<br />
In order to communicate the<br />
perceived threat at a port facility<br />
or for a ship, the Contracting<br />
Government sets the appropriate<br />
security level. Security levels 1,<br />
2, and 3 correspond to normal,<br />
medium, and high threat<br />
situations, respectively. The<br />
security level creates a link<br />
between the ship and the port<br />
facility, since it triggers the<br />
implementation of appropriate<br />
security measures for the ship<br />
and for the port facility. As the<br />
preamble to the Code states, as<br />
threat increases, the only logical<br />
counteraction is to reduce vulnerability – and<br />
the Code provides several ways to reduce<br />
vulnerabilities, such as monitoring and<br />
controlling access, monitoring the activities<br />
of people and cargo, ensuring security<br />
communications are readily available and<br />
requiring certain types of equipment,<br />
depending on the security level in operation.<br />
The Company and the Ship<br />
Under the terms of the ISPS Code,<br />
shipping companies are required to designate<br />
a Company Security Officer (CSO) for the<br />
company and a Ship Security Officer (SSO)<br />
for each of its ships. The CSO’s<br />
responsibilities include ensuring that a Ship<br />
Security Assessment is properly carried out,<br />
that Ship Security Plans are prepared and<br />
submitted for approval by (or on behalf of)<br />
Shipping companies are required to designate a Company Security Officer<br />
(CSO) for the company and a Ship Security Officer (SSO) for each of its<br />
ships (pic: P&O)<br />
the Administration and thereafter that the<br />
plan is implemented on board each ship.<br />
The Ship Security Plan should indicate the<br />
minimum operational and physical security<br />
measures that the ship itself should<br />
implement at all times (i.e. security level 1)<br />
unless required to operate at a higher<br />
security level. The plan should also indicate<br />
the additional, or intensified, security<br />
measures the ship can take to move to and<br />
operate at security level 2 when instructed to<br />
do so. Furthermore, the plan should indicate<br />
the possible preparatory actions the ship<br />
could take to allow prompt response to<br />
instructions that may be issued to the ship at<br />
security level 3.<br />
Ship Security Officer – the<br />
role of the master?<br />
According to the ISPS Code, it is the<br />
responsibility of the Company and the<br />
Company Security Officer to appoint the Ship<br />
Security Officer. This, naturally, has to be<br />
endorsed by the Administration of the flag<br />
State and/or the Recognized Security<br />
Organization. It should be stressed that<br />
neither the drafting of the definition of the<br />
SSO, nor the provisions of the ISPS Code<br />
relating to his responsibilities, training etc.<br />
are aimed at preventing the master, or any<br />
other person, from being designated as SSO.<br />
The issue of whether the master should be<br />
the SSO, given his many other<br />
responsibilities, was first raised at the <strong>IMO</strong>’s<br />
Flag State Implementation meeting in March<br />
20<strong>04</strong>, which recommended to the Maritime<br />
Safety Committee that the master could be<br />
designated and act as SSO. Two months<br />
later the MSC agreed that the definition of<br />
the SSO should be viewed in conjunction<br />
with SOLAS regulation XI-2/8 on “master’s<br />
discretion for ship safety and security”, which<br />
makes it clear that the master has ultimate<br />
responsibility for safety and security.<br />
Regulation XI-2/4 confirms the role of the<br />
master in exercising his professional<br />
judgement over decisions necessary to<br />
maintain the security of the ship. It states that<br />
he shall not be constrained by the company,<br />
the charterer or any other person in this<br />
respect.<br />
The phrase “accountable to the master”,<br />
which is included in the definition of the<br />
Ships, other than passenger ships and tankers, of 300 gross tonnage and upwards but less than 50,000 gross<br />
tonnage, will be required to fit AIS not later than the first safety equipment survey after 1 July 20<strong>04</strong> or by<br />
31 December 20<strong>04</strong>, whichever occurs earlier (pic: Edwards Ship Photos)<br />
SSO, is intended to cover those situations, for<br />
example on large passenger ships, where the<br />
SSO is not the master, by reaffirming that the<br />
master has overall responsibility for security.<br />
There is, therefore, implicitly no intention of<br />
preventing the master from assuming the<br />
duties of SSO, as this would be inconsistent<br />
with SOLAS regulation XI-2/8.<br />
It is, of course, for national Administrations<br />
to decide if they wish to impose particular<br />
restrictions on who may serve as SSOs on<br />
ships flying their flag. This should, however,<br />
not be imposed by national Administrations<br />
on ships not flying their flag through port<br />
State control measures, since this is clearly<br />
the prerogative of the Contracting<br />
Government of the flag State concerned.<br />
The Port Facility<br />
Each Contracting Government has to<br />
ensure completion of a Port Facility Security<br />
Assessment for each port facility within its<br />
territory that serves ships engaged on<br />
international voyages. The Port Facility<br />
Security Assessment is fundamentally a risk<br />
analysis of all aspects of a port facility’s<br />
operation in order to determine which parts<br />
of it are more susceptible to, or more likely to<br />
be the subject of, an attack. Security risk is<br />
seen as a function of the threat of an attack<br />
coupled with the vulnerability of the target<br />
and the consequences of an attack.<br />
The Port Facility Security Assessment<br />
helps determine which port facilities are<br />
required to appoint a Port Facility Security<br />
Officer and prepare a Port Facility Security<br />
Plan. As with the Ship Security Plan, this is<br />
required to indicate the minimum operational<br />
and physical security measures the port<br />
facility will implement at all times (i.e.<br />
security level 1) and also to indicate the<br />
additional, or intensified, security measures<br />
the port facility can take to move to and<br />
operate at security level 2 or 3 when<br />
instructed to do so.<br />
Control and compliance<br />
Under the ISPS Code, ships are required<br />
to carry an International Ship Security<br />
Certificate indicating that they comply with<br />
the requirements of SOLAS chapter XI-2 and<br />
part A of the ISPS Code. When a ship is at a<br />
port or is proceeding to a port of a<br />
Contracting Government, the Contracting<br />
Government has the right, under the<br />
provisions of regulation XI-2/9, to exercise<br />
various control and compliance measures<br />
with respect to that ship. Ships may be<br />
subject to port State control inspections, as<br />
well as to additional control measures if the<br />
Contracting Government exercising the<br />
control and compliance measures has reason<br />
to believe that the security of the ship, or the<br />
port facilities that have served it, has been<br />
compromised.<br />
The relevant authorities may request<br />
information regarding the ship, its cargo,<br />
passengers and ship’s personnel prior to the<br />
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Feature • Security Security • Feature<br />
ship’s entry into port and there may be<br />
circumstances in which entry into port could<br />
be denied.<br />
Responsibilities of<br />
Contracting Governments<br />
To summarise, contracting Governments<br />
have various responsibilities, including<br />
approving the Ship Security Plan and relevant<br />
amendments to a previously approved plan,<br />
verifying the compliance of ships with the<br />
provisions of SOLAS chapter XI-2 and part A<br />
of the ISPS Code and issuing the<br />
International Ship Security Certificate,<br />
determining which port facilities located<br />
within their territory are required to<br />
designate a Port Facility Security Officer,<br />
ensuring completion and approval of the Port<br />
Facility Security Assessment and the Port<br />
Facility Security Plan and any subsequent<br />
amendments, exercising control and<br />
compliance measures and setting the<br />
applicable security level. It is also responsible<br />
for communicating information to <strong>IMO</strong> and<br />
to the shipping and port industries.<br />
SOLAS Contracting Governments can<br />
designate, or establish, Designated<br />
Authorities within Government to undertake<br />
their security duties and allow Recognized<br />
Security Organizations to carry out certain<br />
work with respect to port facilities, but the<br />
final decision on the acceptance and approval<br />
of this work must be given by the<br />
Contracting Government or the Designated<br />
Authority.<br />
Other safety and security<br />
measures<br />
Although of crucial significance for the<br />
ship and port industries, the ISPS Code is far<br />
from being the only new maritime safety and<br />
security provision now in force, and it is<br />
perhaps worthwhile to summarise some of<br />
the less publicised but equally important<br />
measures aimed at enhancing safety and<br />
security on board ships and at ship/port<br />
interface areas that were adopted by the 2002<br />
Conference.<br />
Modifications to SOLAS chapter V (Safety<br />
of Navigation) contain a new timetable for the<br />
fitting of Automatic Information Systems<br />
(AIS). Ships, other than passenger ships and<br />
tankers, of 300 gross tonnage and upwards<br />
but less than 50,000 gross tonnage, will be<br />
required to fit AIS not later than the first<br />
safety equipment survey after 1 July 20<strong>04</strong> or<br />
by 31 December 20<strong>04</strong>, whichever occurs<br />
earlier.<br />
<strong>IMO</strong> has put a great deal of resource into training in the lead-in to ISPS Code implementation<br />
The existing SOLAS chapter XI (Special<br />
measures to enhance maritime safety) was<br />
re-numbered as Chapter XI-1. Regulation XI-<br />
1/3 was modified to require a ship’s<br />
identification number to be permanently<br />
marked in a visible place either on the ship’s<br />
hull or superstructure. Passenger ships<br />
should carry the marking on a horizontal<br />
surface visible from the air. Ships should also<br />
be marked with their ID numbers internally.<br />
A new regulation XI-1/5 requires ships to<br />
be issued with a Continuous Synopsis Record<br />
(CSR), which is intended to provide an onboard<br />
record of the history of the ship. The<br />
CSR shall be issued by the Administration<br />
and must contain identity-related information<br />
such as the name of the ship and of the State<br />
whose flag the ship is entitled to fly, the date<br />
on which the ship was registered with that<br />
State, the ship’s identification number, the<br />
port at which the ship is registered and the<br />
name of the registered owner(s) and their<br />
registered address. Any changes shall be<br />
recorded in the CSR, so as to provide<br />
updated and current information together<br />
with the history of the changes.<br />
As well as the ISPS Code, the brand-new<br />
chapter XI-2 (Special measures to enhance<br />
maritime security) includes a number of<br />
other important measures.<br />
Regulation XI-2/6 requires all ships to be<br />
provided with a ship security alert system,<br />
according to a strict timetable that will see<br />
most vessels fitted by 20<strong>04</strong> and the<br />
remainder by 2006. When activated, the ship<br />
security alert system shall initiate and<br />
transmit a ship-to-shore security alert to a<br />
competent authority designated by the<br />
Administration, identifying the ship, its<br />
location and indicating that the security of<br />
the ship is under threat or that it has been<br />
compromized. It must be capable of being<br />
activated from the navigation bridge and in at<br />
least one other location, but – and this is a<br />
key consideration when dangerous criminals<br />
or terrorists may be on board - the system<br />
will not raise any alarm on-board the ship<br />
itself.<br />
Resolutions adopted by the<br />
Conference<br />
In addition to the two resolutions<br />
introducing the ISPS Code and the other<br />
SOLAS amendments outlined above, the 2002<br />
Diplomatic Conference also adopted nine<br />
other resolutions. Although some dealt with<br />
what are essentially administrative matters,<br />
such as entry-into-force criteria and the<br />
methods by which future amendments<br />
should be adopted, the majority addressed<br />
important, substantive issues and promise to<br />
have a strong impact in the overall endeavour<br />
to improve maritime security.<br />
Conference resolution three, for example,<br />
set the agenda for the Organization in its<br />
future work on the subject, specifically<br />
inviting it to develop, as a matter of urgency,<br />
training guidance, such as model courses for<br />
ship security officers, company security<br />
officers and port facility security officers;<br />
performance standards for ship security<br />
alarms; performance standards and<br />
guidelines for long-range ship identification<br />
and tracking systems; guidelines on control<br />
of ships; and guidelines on “Recognized<br />
security organizations”, and to adopt them in<br />
time before the entry into force of the<br />
amendments to the Convention adopted by<br />
the Conference.<br />
Another addressed the question of longrange<br />
ships’ identification and tracking,<br />
which was recognized as something that<br />
could make a useful contribution to the<br />
enhancement of maritime and coastal States’<br />
security. It urged Governments, as a matter<br />
of high priority, to take any action needed at<br />
national level to begin implementing longrange<br />
identification and tracking of ships and<br />
to encourage ships entitled to fly their flag to<br />
take the necessary measures to be able to<br />
respond automatically to polling. However,<br />
recognizing that there are two sides to every<br />
coin, it also requested Governments to<br />
consider all aspects, including its potential for<br />
misuse (as an aid to ship targeting, for<br />
example) and the need for confidentiality in<br />
respect of the information gathered.<br />
Among the other resolutions adopted by<br />
the conference were two addressing <strong>IMO</strong>’s<br />
co-operation with other agencies on security<br />
issues, specifically the International Labour<br />
Organization (ILO) and the World Customs<br />
Organization (WCO) and we shall look at<br />
these collaborative efforts in more detail<br />
elsewhere in this paper.<br />
Implementation holds<br />
the key<br />
Even though every new standard adopted<br />
by <strong>IMO</strong> represents a step forward, it is<br />
virtually worthless without proper<br />
implementation. And, in this particular<br />
context, there is no doubt that the mere<br />
existence of the new regulatory maritime<br />
security regime will provide no guarantee<br />
that acts of terrorism against shipping may<br />
be prevented and suppressed. It is the wide,<br />
effective and uniform implementation of the<br />
new measures that will ensure shipping does<br />
not the soft underbelly of the international<br />
transport system.<br />
One of the most important of the<br />
resolutions adopted by the conference dealt<br />
with this aspect in some detail, referring to<br />
the difficulties that had been experienced<br />
during implementation of the International<br />
Safety Management (ISM) Code and drawing<br />
the attention of Contracting Governments<br />
and the industry to the fact that chapter XI-2<br />
of the SOLAS Convention did not provide for<br />
any extension of the implementation dates for<br />
the new security measures.<br />
It urged Contracting Governments, as a<br />
matter of high priority, to take any action<br />
needed to finalize as soon as possible the<br />
legislative or administrative arrangements<br />
required at national level to give effect to the<br />
requirements of the adopted amendments<br />
and recommended that Contracting<br />
Governments and Administrations should<br />
designate dates, in advance of the application<br />
date of 1 July 20<strong>04</strong>, by which requests for<br />
certification should be submitted so that the<br />
certification process could be completed in<br />
good time and for any non-compliance to be<br />
rectified.<br />
From the outset, even before the<br />
amendments and the Code were adopted, the<br />
SOLAS Contracting Governments and the<br />
industry knew very well that they were<br />
bound to face a very challenging task. In the<br />
event, there were administrative bottlenecks<br />
in the run up to the deadline, and there were<br />
instances, from all sectors of the maritime<br />
community, where the necessary processes<br />
were started too late.<br />
But, important though it undoubtedly it is,<br />
the administrative process is not the most<br />
critical factor in all this. What really counts is<br />
the work that has been done on the ground:<br />
security officers appointed on ships, in<br />
companies and port facilities; training<br />
undertaken; security plans drawn up;<br />
awareness raised; and vigilance heightened.<br />
The real aim of <strong>IMO</strong>’s security measures is to<br />
make shipping more secure, and the issuance<br />
of certificates is simply the final part of a<br />
lengthy process, every step of which is a step<br />
in the right direction.<br />
Governments and the shipping and port<br />
industries made major efforts to improve<br />
maritime security in the weeks and months<br />
that followed the 2002 Conference leading up<br />
to the entry into force of the ISPS Code and<br />
all the related security measures. All over the<br />
world, a huge amount of work was<br />
undertaken to ensure the highest possible<br />
level of compliance. Figures made available<br />
by <strong>IMO</strong> regularly to keep the maritime<br />
community updated on progress being made<br />
indicated that more than 86 per cent of ships<br />
and 69 per cent of port facilities had their<br />
security plans approved by 1 July 20<strong>04</strong>.<br />
As ever, <strong>IMO</strong> also recognized that not all<br />
its Member States shared the same ability to<br />
implement the new measures; that,<br />
particularly among the developing countries,<br />
there would be shortages of expertise,<br />
manpower and resources. Another key<br />
conference resolution addressed the vital<br />
question of technical co-operation and<br />
assistance, strongly urging Contracting<br />
Governments to the Convention and Member<br />
States of the Organization to provide, in cooperation<br />
with the Organization, assistance to<br />
those States which have difficulty in meeting<br />
the requirements<br />
It also requested the Secretary-General of<br />
the Organization to make adequate provision,<br />
within the <strong>IMO</strong>’s Integrated Technical Cooperation<br />
Programme, to strengthen further<br />
the assistance that was already being<br />
provided and to ensure that the Organization<br />
was able to address the future needs of<br />
developing countries for continued education<br />
and training and the improvement of their<br />
maritime and port security infrastructure and<br />
measures, and invited donors, international<br />
organizations and the shipping and port<br />
industry to contribute financial, human<br />
and/or in-kind resources to the Integrated<br />
18 <strong>IMO</strong> NEWS No.3 20<strong>04</strong> www.imo.org.<br />
www.imo.org. No.3 20<strong>04</strong> <strong>IMO</strong> NEWS 19
Feature • Security Security • Feature<br />
The port of Brisbane: the Government of Australia has gone some way towards estimating the costs of the new<br />
security regime<br />
Technical Co-operation Programme of the<br />
Organization for its maritime and port<br />
security activities.<br />
<strong>IMO</strong> actually launched its global technical<br />
co-operation programme on maritime<br />
security in January 2002, 11 months before<br />
the package of new maritime security<br />
measures was adopted. The aim of the<br />
programme initially was to raise awareness of<br />
maritime security threats and of the possible<br />
future regulatory measures that, at that<br />
stage, were still under development, through<br />
activities such as regional and sub-regional<br />
seminars, workshops and advisory missions.<br />
Subsequently, the emphasis has moved on<br />
to practical approaches to implementation of<br />
the new regulatory regime, with the<br />
development of training programmes and<br />
materials, lesson plans and model courses.<br />
Thousands of personnel from maritime<br />
administrations, shipping companies, ports<br />
and industry and regional organizations have<br />
already been trained as a result of <strong>IMO</strong>’s<br />
activities and the steady stream of requests to<br />
the Organization for technical assistance in<br />
the field of maritime and port security shows<br />
no sign of slowing down.<br />
The success and continuation of <strong>IMO</strong>’s<br />
work in this field depends on funding being<br />
made available to support further training<br />
activities. An International Maritime Security<br />
Trust Fund has been established, on the<br />
basis of voluntary donations, to provide a<br />
dedicated source of financial support for the<br />
maritime security technical co-operation<br />
activities and, in particular, for national<br />
initiatives in the developing regions.<br />
Secretary-General Mitropoulos has appealed<br />
to Governments and industry to make<br />
contributions to the Fund in order to support<br />
the programme over the coming biennium.<br />
The cost factor<br />
Of course, it is not just the developing<br />
countries that have had to consider resource<br />
implications in implementing the new<br />
security provisions. Significant and far<br />
reaching measures such as these cannot be<br />
implemented without cost, and while it is<br />
impossible to put a completely accurate<br />
figure on the total cost to the industry and<br />
the various other stakeholders, there have<br />
been some attempts made to do so.<br />
Last year, the OECD published a detailed<br />
report on the risk factors and economic<br />
impact of security in maritime transport. It<br />
reached three broad conclusions. The first<br />
was that the costs of inaction would have<br />
been potentially tremendous. A large, well-coordinated<br />
attack, it said, could have the effect<br />
of shutting down the entire maritime<br />
transport system as governments scrambled<br />
to put in place appropriate security measures<br />
– which might be drastic, such as the<br />
complete closure of some ports, and<br />
inefficient, such as duplicative and lengthy<br />
cargo checks in both originating and<br />
receiving ports. The report estimated that<br />
the cost of such an attack would likely be<br />
measured in tens of billions of dollars, and<br />
quoted a figure of up to US$58 billion for the<br />
United States alone.<br />
The second conclusion – perhaps not<br />
surprisingly – was that some costs are more<br />
easily measured than others, and that those<br />
costs that can be measured with some<br />
precision are significantly less than the costs<br />
of doing nothing. Generally, said the report,<br />
ship-related costs tend to be relatively easy to<br />
ascertain as these involve specific equipment<br />
purchases and labour costs at known<br />
international rates. The OECD estimated the<br />
initial burden on ship owners to be at least<br />
US$1,279 million and US$730 million a year<br />
thereafter. The bulk of ship-related costs are<br />
related to management staff and securityrelated<br />
equipment expenses.<br />
Estimates of port-related security costs are<br />
extremely difficult to derive, says OECD, due<br />
to uncertainty about exactly what the new<br />
measures will mean in terms of additional<br />
personnel requirements coupled with the vast<br />
differences in labour rates that apply.<br />
depending on location. Also very difficult to<br />
estimate are costs derived from procedural<br />
changes: however, OECD estimates that, for<br />
the costs that can be measures, the overall<br />
figure of slightly over US$2 billion is still<br />
substantially below the costs that might<br />
result from a major attack.<br />
Finally, while its main focus had been on<br />
costs, the report also concluded that many of<br />
the new measures had distinct benefits that<br />
were not directly related to their antiterrorism<br />
task. Theses benefits related from<br />
reduced delays, faster processing times,<br />
better asset control, fewer losses due to theft<br />
and decreased insurance costs. For example,<br />
direct savings to US importers through a new<br />
electronic customs manifest handling system<br />
in the US are estimated to be US$22.2bn over<br />
20 years while the US Government would<br />
make savings of US$4.4bn over the same<br />
period, according to the report.<br />
Aside from the OECD report, a number of<br />
individual countries have also attempted to<br />
quantify the financial costs and benefits<br />
associated with the new measures. In the<br />
United States, for example, the Commandant<br />
of the Coast Guard has stated that the US<br />
maritime security regulations will cost the<br />
home industry US$7bn over the next 10<br />
years. The regulations will affect some 10,000<br />
US vessels, 5,000 facilities, 361 ports and 40<br />
offshore facilities.<br />
And, in Australia, the Government<br />
announced in the 2003-<strong>04</strong> Federal Budget<br />
that it would allocate A$15.6 million over 2<br />
years to tighten the country’s maritime and<br />
port security by developing enabling<br />
legislation, providing guidance to industry<br />
and ensuring compliance with the ISPS Code.<br />
The Government expects that the<br />
implementation costs to industry will be<br />
A$313 million in the first year with ongoing<br />
costs of up to A$96 million per year<br />
thereafter; while the Australian Shipowners’<br />
Association estimates that the cost for<br />
Australian flagged vessels could be between<br />
A$750,000 and A$900,000 each.<br />
Achieving a balance<br />
Throughout the development of the new<br />
security measures and the implementation<br />
process, <strong>IMO</strong> has always been at pains to<br />
stress the importance of achieving a proper<br />
balance. This has applied not just in the<br />
cost/benefit equation but in other aspects,<br />
too.<br />
Clearly, there is an overriding imperative<br />
to find a balance between the need to<br />
implement the new security regime strictly<br />
and robustly and yet ensure that disruption<br />
to global trade, as a result of the introduction<br />
of security measures, is kept to a minimum; a<br />
balance between the traditional and legally<br />
enshrined right of ships to enjoy freedom of<br />
navigation on the high seas, and the need to<br />
make sure that strategic and potentially<br />
vulnerable sea lanes have the special<br />
protection they may need must be<br />
established; and while tightening security<br />
provisions so that criminals and terrorists<br />
cannot gain access to ships by posing as<br />
seafarers, ensuring, at the same time, that<br />
innocent seafarers are not themselves<br />
unfairly penalized as a result.<br />
Seafarer issues<br />
The whole question of human elementrelated<br />
aspects and, in particular, of shore<br />
leave for seafarers was dealt with in one very<br />
important resolution Conference resolution.<br />
It urged Governments to take the human<br />
element, the need to afford special protection<br />
to seafarers and the critical importance of<br />
shore leave into account when implementing<br />
the new security provisions. It also<br />
Shore leave for seafarers is a crucial issue and the conference has acknowledged the need for a careful balance<br />
encouraged Governments, Member States of<br />
<strong>IMO</strong> and non-governmental organizations<br />
with consultative status at the Organization to<br />
report to the Organization any instances<br />
where the human element has been<br />
adversely impacted by the implementation of<br />
the provisions of chapter XI-2 of the<br />
Convention or the Code, and requested the<br />
<strong>IMO</strong> Secretary-General to bring to the<br />
attention of the Maritime Safety Committee<br />
and the Facilitation Committee of the<br />
Organization any human element-related<br />
problems that may be reported to the<br />
Organization.<br />
This is a theme to which Secretary-<br />
General Mitropoulos has subsequently<br />
returned. Speaking at the opening of the 31st<br />
meeting of the <strong>IMO</strong> Facilitation Committee in<br />
July this year, he said:<br />
“When, on the eve of the ISPS Code<br />
becoming effective, I appealed to<br />
Governments and port authorities to apply<br />
the Code with a sense of pragmatism and<br />
common sense, my plea was that they should<br />
do so not only when they were dealing with<br />
ships and cargoes but also when dealing with<br />
seafarers serving on ships calling at their<br />
ports. We must not forget that it is on the<br />
seafarers, initiatives, co-operation and<br />
constant vigilance that we rely heavily in<br />
order to prevent breaches of maritime<br />
security. Without their support and<br />
wholehearted commitment to the cause of<br />
security, the system the ISPS Code aims so<br />
meticulously to put in place will be severely<br />
weakened, to the detriment of the overall<br />
effort.”<br />
Mr Mitropoulos added that if, on security<br />
grounds, seafarers face difficulties, such as<br />
refusal of shore leave, they may well feel<br />
somehow rejected or their services not<br />
sufficiently recognized. He pointed out how<br />
important shore leave is to hard-working<br />
professionals reaching port after days or even<br />
weeks of isolation at sea, often after having<br />
faced the elements at their full strength. He<br />
also warned that such restrictions may easily<br />
discourage prospective entrants to the<br />
maritime profession from joining ranks at a<br />
time when the industry is already short of<br />
quality officers worldwide - a situation, which<br />
may worsen in the future to include shortage<br />
of ratings as well.<br />
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He concluded by appealing to<br />
Governments and port authorities to treat<br />
seafarers as partners in the fight against<br />
terrorism and to facilitate their access to<br />
ports and shore facilities. “Ships’ stays in port<br />
are short nowadays,” he said, “and the<br />
seafarer’s free time is limited, so we should<br />
provide them with every opportunity to relax<br />
and recover before they again take their<br />
ships out to sea in pursuit of their peaceful<br />
objectives in the service of world trade.”<br />
Strategic sea lanes<br />
In addition to seafarer issues, another<br />
concern in which finding the right balance is<br />
paramount is the importance of keeping<br />
strategically important shipping lanes secure<br />
and open to international maritime traffic,<br />
thereby ensuring the uninterrupted flow of<br />
world trade. The <strong>IMO</strong> Secretariat has taken<br />
steps to identify which areas might be<br />
particularly vulnerable and the <strong>IMO</strong> Council,<br />
at its 92nd meeting earlier this year, shared<br />
the concern of the Secretary-General in this<br />
respect and authorized him to work with<br />
interested parties to find ways in which they<br />
might collaborate - while always observing<br />
the sovereign rights of the coastal States<br />
concerned.<br />
One of the world’s most important, indeed<br />
truly vital, strategic shipping channels is<br />
undoubtedly the Malacca Strait. This 800 km<br />
long and, in places, extremely narrow link<br />
between the Indian Ocean and the South<br />
China Sea is an artery through which runs a<br />
huge proportion of global trade. Tankers and<br />
bulk carriers move vast quantities of oil, coal,<br />
iron ore and grain to the manufacturing<br />
centres of south-east and north-east Asia,<br />
while high-value manufactured goods carried<br />
in millions of containers pour back through<br />
the same outlet to feed consumer markets all<br />
over the world. Some 50,000 ship movements<br />
carrying as much as one quarter of the<br />
world’s commerce and half the world’s oil<br />
pass through the Malacca and Singapore<br />
Straits each year.<br />
Any serious disruption to the flow of<br />
maritime traffic through this channel would<br />
clearly have a widespread and far-reaching<br />
detrimental effect. That is why the<br />
preservation of its integrity is such an<br />
important issue. But being a natural “choke<br />
point” for shipping makes the area<br />
particularly vulnerable, both to operational<br />
and navigational incidents and to the external<br />
threat posed by pirates and armed robbers.<br />
However, with south-east Asia still,<br />
unfortunately, recording the highest number<br />
of pirate attacks globally, there is clearly a<br />
fear that terrorists could resort to pirate-style<br />
tactics, or even work in concert with pirates,<br />
to perpetrate their evil deeds. Although<br />
criminals and terrorists may operate in<br />
similar ways, it should be remembered that<br />
terrorists aim to use their violence in pursuit<br />
of strategic objectives and, all too frequently,<br />
mass destruction: while pirates seek private<br />
gains, terrorists pursue political ones.<br />
Through co-operation, led by the littoral<br />
States of the Malacca and Singapore Straits,<br />
and including other user States and<br />
stakeholders – such as industry<br />
organizations - and by applying various<br />
means of state-of-the-art technology -<br />
including the utilization of the Marine<br />
Electronic Highway project, specifically<br />
designed by <strong>IMO</strong> for the Malacca Strait - it is<br />
expected that this strategic lane will continue<br />
to remain open to international navigation to<br />
serve the needs of seaborne trade and the<br />
economy – regional and global.<br />
For <strong>IMO</strong>, balance has been a recurring<br />
theme throughout the entire process of<br />
developing and implementing the new<br />
maritime security regime. The concern had<br />
been expressed that, if the focus were placed<br />
too heavily on “security” and less attention<br />
was paid to other parts of <strong>IMO</strong>’s<br />
responsibilities, i.e. “safety”, “the<br />
environment” and the “facilitation of maritime<br />
traffic”, then shipping would not be rendered<br />
the good services it deserves. The right<br />
balance had to be struck between the various<br />
objectives involved when legislating, for<br />
example, on inspecting ships for port State<br />
control purposes; and the need for such<br />
balance has been reflected in <strong>IMO</strong>’s new<br />
mission statement which calls for “Safe,<br />
Secure and Efficient Shipping on Clean<br />
Oceans”.<br />
The wider picture<br />
UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has<br />
denounced terrorism as a “global scourge<br />
with global effects”, and it is very much in<br />
the spirit of international co-operation to<br />
counter this universal threat that <strong>IMO</strong>’s<br />
efforts to improve maritime security should<br />
be seen. They are part of an all-embracing<br />
initiative across the UN system to tackle this<br />
invidious modern-day scourge, to which noone<br />
today is immune.<br />
Since the 9/11 attacks in the United States,<br />
the United Nations has consistently<br />
addressed the issue of terrorism. UN<br />
Security Council resolution 1368 was adopted<br />
the day after the attacks and, since then,<br />
several more UN resolutions have been<br />
adopted to counter terrorism. In December<br />
2002, for example, the UN General Assembly<br />
adopted a resolution on Oceans and the law<br />
of the sea which, among other things,<br />
welcomed the initiatives taken by <strong>IMO</strong> to<br />
counter the threat to maritime security from<br />
terrorism, and encouraged States to support<br />
that endeavour fully.<br />
One month later, the UN Security Council,<br />
meeting at the level of Ministers for Foreign<br />
Affairs, reaffirmed its position on terrorism<br />
and determined to counter it by a sustained,<br />
comprehensive approach involving the active<br />
participation and collaboration of all States,<br />
international and regional organizations, and<br />
by redoubled efforts at the national level. The<br />
Security Council therefore called for all<br />
States to take urgent action to prevent and<br />
suppress all active and passive support to<br />
terrorism.<br />
Security Council resolution 1456, adopted<br />
on 20 January 2003, requested states to assist<br />
each other to improve their capacity to<br />
prevent and fight terrorism and invited the<br />
Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) to<br />
facilitate the provision of technical and other<br />
assistance by developing targets and<br />
priorities for global action. This resolution<br />
also calls on international organizations to<br />
evaluate ways in which they can enhance the<br />
effectiveness of their action against<br />
terrorism, including establishing dialogue<br />
and exchanges of information with each<br />
other.<br />
Furthermore, at a special meeting of the<br />
Counter-Terrorism Committee of the UN<br />
Security Council held in New York in March<br />
2003, participants agreed that all<br />
international, regional and sub-regional<br />
organizations invited had a specific role to<br />
play in enhancing the effectiveness of global<br />
action against terrorism. While each had its<br />
own mandate and its own contribution to<br />
make, all recognized the high value of cooperation<br />
at the global level. They agreed<br />
that their co-ordinated approach to the<br />
suppression of terrorism would include the<br />
sharing of data and best practices and the<br />
avoidance of duplication of effort, while<br />
remaining aware of the need for respect for<br />
the rule of law and human rights’ obligations.<br />
Looking at the wider picture, UN<br />
Secretary-General Annan, in a call for a ‘new<br />
vision of global security’, has appealed to<br />
international and regional organizations to<br />
create a new sense of common endeavour in<br />
their responses to terrorism, weapons of<br />
mass destruction and collapsing states.<br />
At a meeting of more than 30<br />
organizations, including NATO, Interpol and<br />
the League of Arab States, Mr. Annan said<br />
that the “unprecedented” range and diversity<br />
of challenges warranted a “new vision of<br />
global security” drawing on the “resources<br />
and legitimacy of mutually reinforcing<br />
multilateral mechanisms”. He stressed that,<br />
as the world changes, our institutions ought<br />
to keep pace with those changes and we<br />
should not add to our burdens by descending<br />
into unproductive polarisation.<br />
<strong>IMO</strong> participation<br />
In this context, <strong>IMO</strong> has striven to work in<br />
co-operation and collaboration with partners<br />
wherever and whenever possible. It has<br />
participated in UN-organized activities, such<br />
as the Special Meeting of the Counter-<br />
Terrorism Committee in March 2003 and the<br />
meeting of the Counter-terrorism Action<br />
Group (established by the G-8 Leaders in<br />
June 2003 to serve as a forum for coordinating<br />
and expanding the provision of<br />
counter-terrorism training and assistance)<br />
held in Washington D.C. USA, in February<br />
this year.<br />
As mentioned previously two of the<br />
resolutions adopted by the 2002 maritime<br />
security conference addressed specifically<br />
<strong>IMO</strong>’s work in collaboration with the World<br />
Customs Organization (WCO) and the<br />
International Labour Organization (ILO).<br />
One invited the WCO to consider urgently<br />
Co-operation between <strong>IMO</strong> and WCO has been strengthened by a Memorandum of Understanding to arrange for<br />
matters concerning the examination of containers<br />
measures to enhance security throughout<br />
international closed container transport unit<br />
(CTU) movements and requested the<br />
Secretary-General of <strong>IMO</strong> to contribute<br />
expertise relating to maritime traffic to the<br />
discussions at the WCO.<br />
The importance of this work in the context<br />
of maritime security cannot be overstated:<br />
the world container fleet was estimated by<br />
Containerisation International’s 2003<br />
Yearbook at some 15,855,000 TEUs. The<br />
reported moves of containers through<br />
maritime ports were estimated at 225,300,000<br />
TEUs in UNCTAD’s “Review of Maritime<br />
Transport 2003”, and experts say this figure<br />
may grow to up to 450 million TEUs by 2010.<br />
Today, according to the Lloyd’s<br />
Register/Fairplay World Fleet database, the<br />
population of dedicated containerships stands<br />
at nearly 4000 units, representing more than<br />
100 million deadweight tonnage.<br />
These figures show not only the<br />
importance of the sea mode of container<br />
transportation but, more significantly, the<br />
serious difficulties encountered in knowing,<br />
at any time in the transportation chain, where<br />
they are, where they are transported to and,<br />
above all, what they contain. Containers are<br />
typically loaded some distance from sea ports<br />
and terminals, hence the importance of close<br />
co-operation between all parties concerned.<br />
Co-operation between <strong>IMO</strong> and WCO had<br />
already been established, but it was further<br />
strengthened by the signing, in July 2002, of<br />
a Memorandum of Understanding between<br />
the two Organizations to arrange for matters<br />
concerning container examination and<br />
integrity in multimodal transport as well as<br />
matters relating to the ship/port interface.<br />
With regard to seafarer issues, the ILO<br />
was invited by a SOLAS conference<br />
resolution to continue the development of a<br />
Seafarers’ Identity Document as a matter of<br />
urgency. The idea was that this document<br />
would combine, among other things, a<br />
document for professional purposes, a<br />
verifiable security document, and a<br />
certification information document.<br />
Subsequently, the 91st session of the<br />
International Labour Conference (in June<br />
2003) adopted a new Convention on<br />
Seafarers’ Identity Documents to replace the<br />
ILO Convention, which had been adopted in<br />
1958. The new Convention establishes a<br />
more rigorous identity regime for seafarers<br />
with the aim of developing effective security<br />
from terrorism and ensuring that the world’s<br />
1.2 million seafarers will be given the<br />
freedom of movement necessary for their<br />
well-being and for their professional activities<br />
and, in general, to facilitate international<br />
commerce.<br />
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Feature<br />
• Security<br />
<strong>IMO</strong> <strong>News</strong><br />
The 2002 Conference on Maritime Security<br />
also invited <strong>IMO</strong> and ILO to establish a joint<br />
Working Group to undertake more detailed<br />
work on comprehensive port security<br />
requirements. This group has developed an<br />
ILO/<strong>IMO</strong> Code of Practice on Security in<br />
Ports, which was adopted by the two<br />
Organizations earlier this year.<br />
The future<br />
While acknowledging that after the<br />
September 11 attacks the world would not be<br />
the same again, Mr. Mitropoulos has also<br />
acknowledged that, all over the world, a huge<br />
amount of work had been undertaken in the<br />
period leading up to the entry-into-force date<br />
of the 2002 SOLAS amendments and the ISPS<br />
Code to ensure the highest possible level of<br />
compliance.<br />
“I think we now have to look on the<br />
positive side and remember that the prime<br />
objective of this work has been to increase<br />
awareness of the real and present threat of<br />
terrorism, explain the implications of the<br />
ISPS Code and how best to implement it and,<br />
in so doing, raise the<br />
shipping industry’s<br />
defences to protect it and<br />
seaborne trade from any act<br />
of terrorism. There is no<br />
doubt that that has been<br />
done, the defences are<br />
significantly higher than<br />
they were before, and we<br />
must now ensure that they<br />
continue to rise. While I<br />
appreciate the efforts made<br />
worldwide to achieve the<br />
set objectives, I also<br />
acknowledge with<br />
appreciation the<br />
tremendous work done by<br />
the <strong>IMO</strong> Secretariat, both<br />
at the legislatory level and<br />
with regard to the provision<br />
of technical assistance and<br />
co-operation, to contribute<br />
to the establishment of an<br />
adequate maritime security<br />
infrastructure to keep<br />
terrorism at bay. Their<br />
commitment and dedication<br />
are most commendable”.<br />
The emphasis now must be placed on<br />
ensuring that security remains a high priority<br />
throughout the industry, even after the<br />
additional impetus given by the entry-intoforce<br />
of the SOLAS amendments and the<br />
ISPS Code has diminished. According to the<br />
<strong>IMO</strong> Secretary-General, “throughout the<br />
implementation period, <strong>IMO</strong> has repeatedly<br />
urged Governments and the industry to take<br />
steps to increase awareness of the potential<br />
dangers and to encourage ships’ crews to be<br />
vigilant and alert to any security threat they<br />
may encounter. Great emphasis has been<br />
placed on the entry-into-force date, but the<br />
real challenge is to ensure that, now that that<br />
date has passed, we do not allow ourselves to<br />
relax and adopt a complacent attitude.”<br />
To conclude: In the aftermath of the<br />
attacks in the United States, it seemed<br />
obvious that the global transport<br />
infrastructure was vulnerable, not simply as a<br />
target for terrorist activity but also, in the<br />
wrong hands, as a potentially highly<br />
destructive weapon. Although aircraft were<br />
the chosen weapon of the 9/11 terrorists,<br />
ships might just as easily have been selected<br />
The Limburg attack off Yemen confirmed the vulnerability of the maritime transport infrastructure (Pic: US Navy)<br />
and one only has to consider the<br />
implications of one of the mammoth cruise<br />
ships plying the seas nowadays falling into<br />
the hands of terrorists or of a laden<br />
chemical tanker being hijacked, or of even a<br />
conventional cargo ship loaded with<br />
explosives being blown up in a densely<br />
populated area or of a vital shipping channel<br />
being blocked to see how serious the<br />
consequences of terrorist action involving<br />
ships might be.<br />
The answer to any of these nightmarish<br />
scenarios is multi-faceted, embracing<br />
alertness and vigilance, training,<br />
implementation of the <strong>IMO</strong> and national<br />
security measures and, more importantly,<br />
co-operation between Governments and the<br />
industry at the national, regional and global<br />
levels. In this way, we may hope that we<br />
never again have to witness terrorist<br />
atrocities such as those that have struck<br />
New York, Washington, Bali, Moscow,<br />
Istanbul, Baghdad, Madrid, the oil tanker<br />
Limburg, the USS Cole and many others,<br />
and that the maritime infrastructure may<br />
never again become a victim.<br />
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www.imo.org. No.3 20<strong>04</strong> <strong>IMO</strong> NEWS 25
From the meetings<br />
• Legal Committee (LEG)<br />
• 88th session<br />
• 19 - 23 April 20<strong>04</strong><br />
Maritime Safety Committee • From the meetings<br />
78th session •<br />
12 - 21 May 20<strong>04</strong> •<br />
Legal Committee adds fair treatment of<br />
seafarers to work programme<br />
Security measures under spotlight at<br />
Maritime Safety Committee<br />
Seafarers – their fair treatment is to<br />
be taken up by the <strong>IMO</strong>’s Legal<br />
Committee<br />
The Legal Committee of <strong>IMO</strong> has agreed to<br />
include in its work programme the development<br />
of guidelines on the fair treatment of seafarers. In<br />
doing so, it also endorsed a proposal to establish a<br />
joint <strong>IMO</strong>/International Labour Organization (ILO)<br />
Working Group on the matter.<br />
This decision followed a proposal that <strong>IMO</strong>, in cooperation<br />
with ILO, consider the development of<br />
appropriate guidelines based not only on the<br />
principles of UNCLOS but also on the fact that<br />
unwarranted detention was a violation of basic<br />
human rights.<br />
Review of the SUA Convention and<br />
Protocol<br />
The Committee also continued its consideration of<br />
a revised draft protocol to the SUA Convention and<br />
Protocol prepared by the intersessional<br />
Correspondence Group. Most delegations expressed<br />
support for the revision and strengthening of the<br />
SUA Convention to provide a response to the<br />
increasing risks posed to maritime navigation by<br />
terrorism. Nevertheless, several delegations drew<br />
attention to the need to ensure that the prospective<br />
SUA Protocols did not jeopardize the principle of<br />
freedom of navigation and the right of innocent<br />
passage as prescribed in UNCLOS, nor the basic<br />
principles of international law and the operation of<br />
international commercial shipping.<br />
The Committee recognized that, while there<br />
seemed to be general acceptance of the need to<br />
include provisions concerning boarding in the draft<br />
protocol, it was clear that the present draft still<br />
required further consideration. It was also<br />
recognized that the inclusion of boarding provisions<br />
implied a substantial inroad into the fundamental<br />
principles of freedom of navigation on the high seas<br />
and the exclusive jurisdiction of flag States over their<br />
vessels. The Committee accepted that the principle<br />
of flag State jurisdiction must be respected to the<br />
utmost extent, recognizing that the boarding by<br />
officials of a foreign-flag ship on the high seas could<br />
only take place in exceptional circumstances.<br />
Draft Convention on wreck<br />
removal<br />
The Committee continued with its consideration of<br />
the draft Wreck Removal Convention (WRC),<br />
considering four main issues, namely: the application<br />
of the WRC to territorial seas; the exclusion of<br />
liability for acts of terrorism; the identification of the<br />
person normally in charge of the day-to-day<br />
operation of the ship, who might not necessarily be<br />
the registered owner as presently defined in the<br />
draft Convention; and the relationship between the<br />
WRC and the existing liability regimes.<br />
The Committee approved, subject to drafting<br />
improvement, the provisions concerning objectives<br />
and general principles, scope of application,<br />
reporting of wrecks and determination of the hazard.<br />
Interested delegations were invited to continue<br />
working intersessionally under the leadership of the<br />
delegation of the Netherlands to refine the text<br />
further.<br />
Implementation of the HNS<br />
convention<br />
The Committee welcomed information provided<br />
by several delegations reporting work in progress in<br />
their countries towards ratification of the<br />
International Convention on Liability and<br />
Compensation for Damage in Connection with the<br />
Carriage of Hazardous and Noxious Substances<br />
(HNS) by Sea, 1996.<br />
The Committee noted that the International Oil<br />
Pollution Compensation (IOPC) Fund had nearly<br />
completed the development of an HNS Data Base,<br />
which would include a “cargo calculator” to facilitate<br />
the reporting of contributing HNS Cargo.<br />
The HNS Convention is intended to add a vital<br />
component in the international compensation regime<br />
for pollution damage at sea. At end April 2003, it had<br />
been ratified by four States, representing 1.92 per<br />
cent of world merchant shipping tonnage.<br />
For entry into force, the HNS Convention requires<br />
ratification by 12 States, four of which have not less<br />
than two million units of gross tonnage, provided<br />
that persons in these States who would be<br />
responsible to pay contributions to the general<br />
account have received a total quantity of at least 40<br />
million tonnes of contributing cargo in the preceding<br />
calendar year.<br />
Measures to protect crews and<br />
passengers against crimes<br />
committed on vessels<br />
The Committee was provided with an<br />
interimanalysis by the Comité Maritime<br />
International (CMI) on its ongoing work to examine<br />
State practice on how crimes committed on vessels<br />
on the high seas were handled in different<br />
jurisdictions. The Committee noted some suggested<br />
measures to prevent crimes on vessels, including<br />
establishment of a legal scheme, adoption of a<br />
resolution or other instrument and amendments to<br />
penal codes.<br />
The MSC considered issues relating to the<br />
implementation of the maritime security<br />
measures which enter into force on 1 July<br />
20<strong>04</strong>.<br />
Recognizing that consistent, uniform and<br />
harmonized implementation of the control<br />
and compliance measures will contribute<br />
towards the enhancement of maritime<br />
security, it adopted resolution MSC.159(78)<br />
on Interim Guidance on Control and<br />
Compliance Measures to Enhance Maritime<br />
Security.<br />
The Committee once more acknowledged<br />
the need for a proper balance between the<br />
needs of security, the protection of the<br />
human rights of seafarers and port workers,<br />
and the requirement to maintain the safety<br />
and working efficiency of the ship,<br />
particularly when allowing access for<br />
activities such as taking on board stores,<br />
repair and maintenance of essential<br />
equipment and other vital activities<br />
undertaken when a ship is moored at port<br />
facilities.<br />
An MSC Circular on Guidelines for the<br />
Implementation of SOLAS chapter XI-2 and<br />
the ISPS Code was approved, providing<br />
guidance on security measures and<br />
procedures to be applied at the ship/port<br />
interface when either the ship or the port<br />
facility do not comply with the requirements<br />
of chapter XI-2 and of the ISPS Code; security<br />
measures and procedures to be applied by a<br />
ship, which is required to comply with the<br />
requirements of chapter XI-2 and the ISPS<br />
Code, when it interfaces with an FPSO or an<br />
FSU; and implementation of the ISPS Code<br />
in relation to shipyards.<br />
Fire and flooding thresholds<br />
and timeframes<br />
The MSC agreed that, as a general<br />
principle, casualty thresholds (extent of<br />
damage) should be prepared to stipulate the<br />
amount of damage a ship must be able to<br />
withstand and still be able to return safely to<br />
port under its own power. In addition, the<br />
Committee agreed that, even if this casualty<br />
threshold is exceeded, a ship is to remain<br />
habitable for a minimum period of time to<br />
allow for its safe and orderly abandonment.<br />
To this end, the MSC approved casualty<br />
thresholds for fire and flooding and agreed a<br />
“time to remain habitable” of three<br />
hours. The Sub-Committees will<br />
use these criteria in the<br />
development of appropriate<br />
requirements.<br />
Goal-based new ship<br />
construction<br />
standards<br />
The MSC examined in detail the<br />
concept that <strong>IMO</strong> should develop<br />
“goal-based” standards for ships’<br />
construction and equipment and<br />
agreed that a Working Group<br />
should meet at the next session, in<br />
December (MSC 79).<br />
The Working Group should<br />
bear in mind environmental,<br />
human element and security<br />
issues, the MSC agreed.<br />
The premise behind the<br />
development of goal-based<br />
standards is that <strong>IMO</strong> should play a larger<br />
role in determining the fundamental<br />
standards to which new ships are built.<br />
There is no intention that <strong>IMO</strong> would take<br />
over the detailed work of the classification<br />
societies, but rather that <strong>IMO</strong> would state<br />
what has to be achieved, leaving classification<br />
societies, ship designers and naval architects,<br />
marine engineers and ship builders the<br />
freedom to decide on how best to employ<br />
their professional skills to meet the required<br />
standards.<br />
At present there is no international<br />
legislation or guidance on these matters.<br />
Therefore the MSC is expected to consider<br />
the introduction of a mechanism to ensure<br />
harmonised, internationally agreed<br />
standards, under the umbrella of <strong>IMO</strong>.<br />
Bulk carrier safety<br />
The MSC approved proposed amendments<br />
to SOLAS chapter XII (Additional safety<br />
measures for bulk carriers), with a view to<br />
subsequent adoption at MSC 79 in December<br />
20<strong>04</strong>.<br />
The draft amendments propose the<br />
replacement of the existing text of chapter<br />
XII with a new text incorporating revisions to<br />
some regulations and new requirements<br />
relating to double-side skin bulk carriers.<br />
The MSC is examining the proposal the <strong>IMO</strong> develop “goal-based”<br />
standards for ship construction<br />
The MSC agreed the addition of a new<br />
regulation 14 on Restrictions from sailing<br />
with any hold empty.<br />
The MSC agreed to include requirements<br />
for double-side skin construction as an<br />
optional alternative to single-side skin<br />
construction. The option of double-side skin<br />
construction would apply to new bulk<br />
carriers of 150m in length and over, carrying<br />
solid bulk cargoes having a density of 1,000<br />
kg/m3 and above.<br />
In addition, the MSC approved an<br />
amendment to SOLAS regulation 31 in<br />
chapter III (Life-saving appliances and<br />
arrangements) to make mandatory the<br />
carriage of free-fall lifeboats on bulk carriers,<br />
for adoption at MSC 79.<br />
The MSC also approved for future<br />
adoption the draft MSC resolution on<br />
Standards and criteria for side structures of<br />
bulk carriers of single-side skin construction<br />
and the draft MSC resolution on Standards<br />
for owners’ inspections and maintenance of<br />
bulk carrier hatch covers.<br />
The Committee approved MSC circulars<br />
on Guidelines for assessing the longitudinal<br />
strength of bulk carriers during loading,<br />
unloading and ballast water exchange and<br />
Guidance for checking the structure of bulk<br />
carriers.<br />
26 <strong>IMO</strong> NEWS No.3 20<strong>04</strong> www.imo.org. www.imo.org. No.3 20<strong>04</strong> <strong>IMO</strong> NEWS 27
From the meetings<br />
• Maritime Safety Committee<br />
• 78th session<br />
• 12 - 21 May 20<strong>04</strong><br />
Maritime Safety Committee • From the meetings<br />
78th session •<br />
12 - 21 May 20<strong>04</strong> •<br />
Permanent means of access<br />
–SOLAS amendments<br />
The MSC adopted amendments to SOLAS<br />
regulation 3-6 in chapter II-1 (Construction -<br />
Subdivision and stability, machinery and<br />
electrical installations) on Access to and<br />
within spaces in the cargo area of oil tankers<br />
and bulk carriers (resolution MSC.134(76))<br />
and to the associated Technical Provisions for<br />
means of access for inspections (resolution<br />
MSC.133(76)). The amendments are<br />
expected to enter into force on 1 January<br />
2006.<br />
The resolution adopting the amendment<br />
includes a paragraph under which the flag<br />
State Administration may provisionally apply<br />
the amended regulation to new ships to be<br />
constructed on or after 1 January 2005<br />
instead of applying the original requirements<br />
of regulation II-1/3-6.<br />
The Committee also approved an MSC<br />
circular on the Application of SOLAS<br />
regulation II-1/3-6 on Access to and within<br />
spaces in, and forward of, the cargo area of<br />
oil tankers and bulk carriers - Application of<br />
the Technical provisions for means of access<br />
for inspections, drawing the attention of the<br />
Member States to the provisions for their<br />
provisional early application as from 1<br />
January 2005.<br />
Persons rescued at sea -<br />
amendments to SOLAS and<br />
SAR adopted<br />
The MSC (expanded to include all SOLAS<br />
Contracting Governments and SAR Parties)<br />
adopted amendments to the SOLAS and SAR<br />
Amendments to the Search and Rescue Convention<br />
were adopted by MSC 78 (pic: Finnish Lifeboats)<br />
Conventions concerning the treatment of<br />
persons rescued at sea, and/or asylum<br />
seekers, refugees and stowaways. The<br />
amendments were developed in response to<br />
resolution A.920 on Review of safety<br />
measures and procedures for the treatment<br />
of persons rescued at sea, adopted by <strong>IMO</strong>’s<br />
22nd Assembly following a number of<br />
incidents that highlighted concerns<br />
surrounding the treatment of persons<br />
rescued at sea.<br />
The prime concern with respect to such<br />
incidents was that, unless the matter was<br />
considered in all its aspects and appropriate<br />
action was taken, there might be a negative<br />
impact on the integrity of the global search and<br />
rescue system which <strong>IMO</strong> has put in place.<br />
The amendments include:<br />
• SOLAS – chapter V (Safety of Navigation)<br />
– to add a definition of search and rescue<br />
services; to set an obligation to provide<br />
assistance, regardless of nationality or<br />
status of persons in distress, and mandate<br />
co-ordination and co-operation between<br />
States to assist the ship’s master in<br />
delivering persons rescued at sea to a<br />
place of safety; and to add a new regulation<br />
on master’s discretion. The SOLAS<br />
amendments are expected to enter into<br />
force on 1 July 2006,<br />
• SAR – Annex to the Convention – addition<br />
of a new paragraph in chapter 2<br />
(Organization and co-ordination) relating<br />
to definition of persons in distress, new<br />
paragraphs in chapter 3 (Co-operation<br />
between States) relating to assistance to<br />
the master in delivering persons rescued at<br />
sea to a place of safety and a new<br />
paragraph in chapter 4 (Operating<br />
procedures) relating to rescue coordination<br />
centres initiating the process of<br />
identifying the most appropriate places for<br />
disembarking persons found in distress at<br />
sea. The SAR amendments are expected to<br />
enter into force on 1 January 2006.<br />
The MSC also adopted related Guidelines<br />
on the treatment of persons rescued at sea.<br />
Adoption of ships’ routeing measures<br />
The MSC adopted the following ships’ routeing and other measures, which will take effect<br />
on 1 December 20<strong>04</strong> at 0000 hours UTC, except for the amendment to the TSS “In the<br />
Singapore Strait”, which will take effect from 1 January 2005 at 0000 hours UTC:<br />
•New traffic separation schemes (TSSs)<br />
- “Off Ra’s al Kuh”;<br />
- “Approaches to the Port of Ra’s al Khafji”; and -<br />
- “In the Adriatic Sea”.<br />
•Amendments to existing TSSs<br />
- Amendment to the existing traffic separation scheme “Between Korsoer and Sprogoe”<br />
- Amendment to the separation zone of the TSS in the Singapore Straits, by which a space for<br />
an anchorage area would be released, to take effect on 1 January 2005 at 0000 hours UTC.<br />
•Routeing measures other than TSSs<br />
- Mandatory area to be avoided off the north east coast of the North Island of New Zealand.<br />
- Amendment of the existing charting measure in the Great North East Channel of the<br />
Torres Strait, off the north east coast of Australia to a two-way route.<br />
- Establishment of an Area to be Avoided (ATBA) in the Paracas National Reserve.<br />
•Mandatory Ship Reporting Systems<br />
- Amendments to the existing mandatory Ship Reporting System “in the Torres Strait and<br />
Inner Route of the Great Barrier Reef”, off the North East coast of Australia (REEFREP).<br />
- Amendments to the existing mandatory ship reporting system “Off Cape Finisterre”.<br />
Archipelagic sea lanes – amendments to Ships’ Routeing<br />
The Committee adopted amendments to the General Provisions on Ships’ Routeing<br />
(resolution A.527(14), as amended), concerning the adoption, designation and substitution of<br />
archipelagic sea lanes (paragraph 3.13 of Section H (<strong>IMO</strong> publication “Ships’ Routeing)).<br />
The aim is to provide guidance with regard to<br />
humanitarian obligations and obligations<br />
under the relevant international law.<br />
Global SAR plan -<br />
international SAR Fund<br />
agreed<br />
The MSC agreed to establish an<br />
international Search and Rescue (SAR) Fund<br />
as soon as possible to support the<br />
establishment and continued maintenance of<br />
regional Maritime Rescue Co-ordination<br />
Centres (MRCCs) and Maritime Rescue Sub-<br />
Centres (MRSCs) along the African<br />
coastlines.<br />
Preventing accidents with<br />
lifeboats – amendments to<br />
SOLAS<br />
The expanded MSC adopted amendments<br />
to SOLAS chapter III (Life-saving appliances<br />
and arrangements) which are intended to<br />
help prevent accidents with lifeboats during<br />
drills. The amendments, which are expected<br />
to enter into force on 1 July 2006, stem from<br />
work by the Sub-Committee on Ship Design<br />
and Equipment (DE) intended to address the<br />
unacceptably high number of accidents with<br />
lifeboats that have been occurring over<br />
recent years. Crew have been injured,<br />
sometimes fatally, while participating in<br />
lifeboat drills and/or inspections.<br />
The amendments to Regulation 19<br />
(Emergency training and drills) and<br />
Regulation 20 (Operational readiness,<br />
maintenance and inspections) concern the<br />
conditions in which lifeboat emergency<br />
training and drills should be conducted and<br />
introduce changes to the operational tests to<br />
be conducted during the weekly and monthly<br />
inspections, so as not to require the assigned<br />
crew to be on board in all cases.<br />
The MSC also approved a circular on<br />
Prevention of accidents in high free-fall<br />
launching of life boats, in view of recent<br />
reports of injuries sustained during launches<br />
of free-fall lifeboats from heights greater than<br />
20 metres<br />
Carriage of immersion suits –<br />
amendments to SOLAS<br />
The MSC adopted amendments to SOLAS<br />
chapter III Regulation 32 – Personal lifesaving<br />
appliances to make changes to the<br />
number of immersion suits to be carried on<br />
all cargo ships. The amendments introduce<br />
carriage requirements for one immersion suit<br />
per person on board all cargo ships,<br />
including bulk carriers. At present, the<br />
regulation requires carriage of at least three<br />
immersion suits for each lifeboat on a cargo<br />
ship, as well as thermal protective aids for<br />
persons not provided with immersion suits.<br />
With the adoption of the proposed<br />
amendments, which are expected to enter<br />
into force on 1 July 2006, immersion suits will<br />
become, as lifejackets, a personal life-saving<br />
appliance for each person on board thus<br />
offering better thermal protection and<br />
improved chance of survival and rescue. The<br />
MSC also adopted consequential<br />
amendments to the 1988 SOLAS Protocol<br />
relating to the records of equipment.<br />
IMDG Code amendments<br />
including security<br />
Resolutions adopted by MSC 78<br />
The MSC adopted amendments to the<br />
International Maritime Dangerous Goods<br />
(IMDG) Code. The amendments update<br />
several sections of the Code relating to the<br />
carriage of dangerous goods and also include<br />
a new chapter 1.4 on Security Provisions<br />
intended to address the security of<br />
dangerous goods being transported by sea.<br />
The amendments are expected to enter into<br />
force on 1 January 2006, but may be applied<br />
on a voluntary basis from 1 January 2005.<br />
Resolution MSC.151(78) - Adoption of amendments to the International Convention for the<br />
Safety of Life at Sea, 1974, as amended<br />
Resolution MSC.152(78) - Adoption of amendments to the International Convention for the<br />
Safety of Life at Sea, 1974, as amended<br />
Resolution MSC.153(78) - Adoption of amendments to the International Convention for the<br />
Safety of Life at Sea, 1974, as amended<br />
Resolution MSC.154(78) - Adoption of amendments to the Protocol of 1988 relating to the<br />
International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974<br />
Resolution MSC.155(78) - Adoption of amendments to the International Convention on<br />
Maritime Search and Rescue, 1979, as amended<br />
Resolution MSC.156(78) - Adoption of amendments to the Seafarers’ Training, Certification and<br />
Watchkeeping (STCW) Code<br />
Resolution MSC.157(78) - Adoption of amendments to the International Maritime Dangerous<br />
Goods (IMDG) code<br />
Resolution MSC.158(78) - Adoption of amendments to the technical provisions for means of<br />
access for inspections<br />
Resolution MSC.159(78) - Interim guidance on control and compliance measures to enhance<br />
maritime security<br />
Resolution MSC.160(78) - Adoption of the <strong>IMO</strong> unique company and registered owners<br />
identification number scheme<br />
Resolution MSC.161(78) - Amendments to the existing mandatory ship reporting system “In<br />
the Torres strait and inner route of the Great Barrier Reef”<br />
Resolution MSC.162(78) - Amendments to the existing mandatory ship reporting system “Off<br />
Cape Finisterre”<br />
Resolution MSC.163(78) - Performance standards for shipborne simplified voyage data<br />
recorders (S-VDR)<br />
Resolution MSC.164(78) - Revised performance standards for radar reflectors<br />
Resolution MSC.165(78) - Adoption of amendments to the General Provisions on Ship’s<br />
Routeing (resolution A.572(14), as amended)<br />
Resolution MSC.166(78)- Application of performance standards for marine transmitting heading<br />
devices (THDS) to marine transmitting magnetic heading devices<br />
(TMHDS)<br />
Resolution MSC.167(78) - Guidelines on the treatment of persons rescued at sea<br />
28 <strong>IMO</strong> NEWS No.3 20<strong>04</strong> www.imo.org.<br />
www.imo.org. No.3 20<strong>04</strong> <strong>IMO</strong> NEWS 29
From the meetings<br />
• Maritime Safety Committee<br />
• 78th session<br />
• 12 - 21 May 20<strong>04</strong><br />
Technical Co-operation Committee • From the meetings<br />
54th session •<br />
15 - 17 June 20<strong>04</strong> •<br />
TCC meeting acknowledges continuing<br />
work on maritime and port security<br />
Implementation of the revised<br />
STCW Convention<br />
The MSC approved the updated list of<br />
Parties which included two additional STCW<br />
Parties approved at the session deemed to be<br />
giving full and complete effect to the<br />
provisions of the International Convention on<br />
Standards of Training, Certification and<br />
Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW), 1978, as<br />
amended.<br />
Simplified Voyage Data<br />
Recorders – SOLAS<br />
amendments approved<br />
The MSC agreed with the<br />
recommendation of the Sub-committee on<br />
Safety of Navigation (NAV) that retrofitting<br />
existing cargo ships with Voyage Data<br />
Recorders (VDR) was feasible and desirable<br />
and that a simplified VDR (S-VDR) should be<br />
specified for existing cargo ships.<br />
The MSC therefore approved – with a<br />
view to adoption at MSC 79 - draft<br />
amendments to regulation 20 of SOLAS<br />
chapter V (Safety of Navigation) on a phasedin<br />
carriage requirement for a shipborne S-<br />
VDR. The draft regulation requires a VDR,<br />
which may be a S-VDR, to be fitted to cargo<br />
ships above 3,000 gross tonnage. The<br />
proposed draft regulation would phase in the<br />
requirement for cargo ships over 20,000<br />
gross tonnage first, by 2007, to be followed<br />
by cargo ships above 3,000 gross tonnage, by<br />
2008.<br />
The MSC also adopted resolution<br />
MSC.163(78)on Performance Standards for<br />
shipborne simplified voyage data recorders<br />
(S-VDRs).<br />
Unique company number<br />
scheme<br />
The MSC adopted a scheme to implement<br />
the <strong>IMO</strong> Unique Company and Registered<br />
Owners Identification Number Scheme. The<br />
aim is to facilitate the enhancement of<br />
maritime safety, security and pollution<br />
prevention and the prevention of maritime<br />
fraud by assigning a permanent identification<br />
number to companies and registered<br />
organizations which will be inserted on ships’<br />
certificates.<br />
Piracy and armed robbery<br />
against ships<br />
The MSC reviewed the reports on<br />
incidents of piracy and armed robbery<br />
against ships submitted to <strong>IMO</strong> and<br />
welcomed developments in the<br />
implementation of the co-ordinated plan of<br />
action to tackle piracy and armed robbery<br />
against ships through regional agreements.<br />
The number of acts of piracy and armed<br />
robbery against ships, which were reported<br />
to the Organization to have occurred or to<br />
have been attempted in 2003, was 456, an<br />
increase of 69 (18%) over the figure for 2002.<br />
The areas most affected in 2003 (i.e. five<br />
incidents reported or more) were the Far<br />
East, in particular the South China Sea and<br />
the Malacca Strait, South America and the<br />
Caribbean, the Indian Ocean, West Africa,<br />
and East Africa. The number of acts reported<br />
to have occurred or to have been attempted<br />
increased from 140 to 152 in the South China<br />
Sea; from 66 to 96 in the Indian Ocean; from<br />
67 to 72 in South America and the Caribbean;<br />
from 47 to 67 in West Africa; and from 34 to<br />
38 in the Malacca Strait, over the 2002<br />
figures. However, the numbers decreased<br />
from 3 to 1 in the Mediterranean Sea and<br />
from 24 to 22 in East Africa, compared with<br />
the 2002 figures.<br />
During 2003, 13 crew members were<br />
reportedly killed, including two passengers<br />
and six military personnel, 45 persons were<br />
wounded and 54 crew went missing.<br />
Amongst those still missing to date and<br />
unaccounted for are 11 crew members<br />
including three crew members thrown<br />
overboard. Eleven ships were hijacked and<br />
11 went missing, whilst one ship was set<br />
ablaze and one ship was run aground.<br />
List of circulars approved by MSC 78<br />
MSC/Circ.1107<br />
MSC/Circ.1108<br />
MSC/Circ.1109<br />
MSC/Circ.1110<br />
MSC/Circ.1111<br />
MSC/Circ.1112<br />
MSC/Circ.1113<br />
MSC/Circ.1114<br />
MSC/Circ.1115<br />
MSC/Circ.1116<br />
MSC/Circ.1117<br />
MSC/Circ.1118<br />
MSC/Circ.1119<br />
MSC/Circ.1120<br />
MSC/Circ.1121<br />
MSC/Circ.1122<br />
MSC/Circ.1123<br />
MSC/Circ.1124<br />
Application of SOLAS regulation II-1/3-6 on Access to and within spaces<br />
in, and forward of, the cargo area of oil tankers and bulk carriers and<br />
application of the Technical provisions for means of access for inspections<br />
Guidelines for assessing the longitudinal strength of bulk carriers during<br />
loading, unloading and ballast water exchange<br />
False security alerts and distress/security double alerts<br />
Matters related to SOLAS regulations XI-2/6 and XI-2/7<br />
Guidance relating to the implementation of SOLAS chapter XI-2 and the<br />
ISPS Code<br />
Shore leave and access to ships under the ISPS Code<br />
Guidance to port State control officers on the non-security related<br />
elements of the 2002 SOLAS amendments<br />
Guidelines for periodic testing of immersion suit and anti-exposure suit<br />
seams and closures<br />
Prevention of accidents in high free-fall launching of lifeboats<br />
Unified interpretations of the IBC and IGC Codes<br />
Guidance for checking the structure of bulk carriers<br />
Implementation of SOLAS regulation V/9 - Hydrographic services<br />
Ship/terminal interface improvement for bulk carriers<br />
Unified interpretations of the revised SOLAS chapter II-2<br />
Parties to the International Convention on Standards of Training,<br />
Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW), 1978, as amended,<br />
confirmed by the Maritime Safety Committee to have communicated<br />
information which demonstrates that full and complete effect is given to<br />
the relevant provisions of the Convention<br />
Adoption of the revised NAVTEX Manual<br />
Guidelines on annual testing of L-band satellite EPIRBs<br />
Amendments to the IAMSAR Manual<br />
<strong>IMO</strong>’s US$2.65 million Global Programme<br />
on Maritime and Port Security, which<br />
began in January 2002, will be continuing<br />
beyond the 1 July 20<strong>04</strong> international deadline<br />
for implementation of the maritime security<br />
measures adopted by <strong>IMO</strong> in December<br />
2002, the 54th session of the technical Cooperation<br />
Committee heard.<br />
The meeting was informed that total<br />
expenditure on the Programme to date was<br />
US$2,525,3<strong>04</strong>. Worldwide activities had<br />
included 18 regional and 42 national<br />
seminars/workshops. Some 3,320 people had<br />
been trained throughout ports in the<br />
developing regions. The steady stream of<br />
requests to the Organization for technical<br />
assistance in the field of maritime and port<br />
security showed no sign of slowing and<br />
demand from Member States for practical<br />
assistance in the implementation of the<br />
International Ship and Port Facility Security<br />
Code (ISPS Code) and other security<br />
measures adopted by <strong>IMO</strong> is expected to<br />
continue.<br />
To support this, the committee heard, a<br />
new “Train-the-Trainer” programme has been<br />
developed which will assist Governments to<br />
strengthen their maritime security<br />
implementation through the provision of<br />
trained instructors capable of delivering<br />
quality training at regional and national levels<br />
using relevant <strong>IMO</strong> Model Courses. The<br />
Train-the-Trainer programme is being<br />
initiated in the second half of the 20<strong>04</strong>,<br />
initially in the Asia-Pacific region. The target<br />
audience will be instructors from national<br />
maritime training institutions responsible for<br />
maritime security training courses.<br />
The Programme’s success and<br />
continuation depends, inevitably, on funding<br />
to be made available to support those<br />
further training activities. The Committee<br />
was updated on the status of the<br />
International Maritime Security Trust Fund<br />
(IMSTF), which has been established on the<br />
basis of voluntary donations, and welcomed<br />
the news that Canada, Denmark, Egypt,<br />
Germany, Sweden, United Kingdom and<br />
United States had either made donations, or<br />
had pledged monies, totalling some<br />
US$585,000. The Committee appealed to<br />
Member States and the maritime industry to<br />
contribute to the IMST Fund and urged<br />
those who had made or pledged<br />
contributions to the IMST Fund to encourage<br />
others to do the same.<br />
<strong>IMO</strong> training institutes<br />
The Committee was updated on the work<br />
of the three training institutes operating<br />
under the auspices of <strong>IMO</strong>.<br />
<strong>IMO</strong> World Maritime University<br />
(WMU)<br />
The Committee noted that to date, a total<br />
of 1,983 alumni had graduated from WMU<br />
from 142 countries and territories worldwide<br />
and the demand for places at the University<br />
far outstripped its existing capacity.<br />
The increasing sponsorship of Professorial<br />
Chairs at the University was a significant<br />
factor contributing to its high academic<br />
capability, international reputation and<br />
financing, the Committee heard. There are<br />
six Professorial Chairs, sponsored and<br />
funded by Inmarsat Ltd., the International<br />
Transport Workers’ Federation, the Nippon<br />
Foundation (three) and the Government of<br />
Canada.<br />
The Committee was informed of the<br />
successful completion in early 20<strong>04</strong> of a TCCinitiated<br />
pilot project activity undertaken by<br />
the WMU. The <strong>IMO</strong> Model Course on<br />
“Marine Accident and Incident Investigation”<br />
has been converted into a user-paced, selfmotivated<br />
training programme on a CD-Rom.<br />
<strong>IMO</strong> is considering the possibility of<br />
converting other <strong>IMO</strong> model courses, such<br />
as those on ship, company and port security<br />
officers, into an “e-learning” format.<br />
<strong>IMO</strong> International Maritime<br />
Law Institute (IMLI)<br />
IMLI has had a total of 302 graduates from<br />
98 States and territories and demand for<br />
places remains high. The Committee was<br />
informed of support secured by the Institute,<br />
including ten scholarships from the Nippon<br />
Foundation of Japan for the financial year<br />
20<strong>04</strong>/2005; a commitment from the TC Fund<br />
to provide six scholarships in the financial<br />
year 20<strong>04</strong>/2005; a pledge from the<br />
Government of Switzerland, through the<br />
Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation,<br />
to continue its financial support<br />
The committee heard of considerable progress for <strong>IMO</strong>’s Programme for the Integration of Women in the Maritime Sector<br />
30 <strong>IMO</strong> NEWS No.3 20<strong>04</strong> www.imo.org.<br />
www.imo.org. No.3 20<strong>04</strong> <strong>IMO</strong> NEWS 31
From the meetings<br />
• Technical Co-operation Committee<br />
• 54th session<br />
• 15 - 17 June 20<strong>04</strong><br />
Sub-Committee on Safety of Navigation • From the meetings<br />
50th session •<br />
5 - 9 July 20<strong>04</strong> •<br />
during the financial year 2003/20<strong>04</strong> together<br />
with a direct financial support, amounting to<br />
_21,270 per annum, for a further three years<br />
until the 2006/2007 financial year; two<br />
scholarships from the Ports and Shipping<br />
Organization of Iran in 2003/20<strong>04</strong>; two<br />
scholarships from Saudi Aramco of Saudi<br />
Arabia in 2003/20<strong>04</strong>; a scholarship each from<br />
Kenya Ports Authority, the Joint Dock<br />
Labour Council of Nigeria, the National<br />
Maritime Authority of Nigeria and the<br />
Government of Tanzania in 2003/20<strong>04</strong>; and<br />
an ad hoc contribution of £4,600 from the<br />
Commonwealth Fund for Technical Cooperation<br />
for 2003/20<strong>04</strong>.<br />
The Government of Malta, in addition to<br />
providing IMLI’s premises at no charge, has<br />
paid the final instalment towards its<br />
commitment to subsidize partially the<br />
recently completed extension to the<br />
premises. Malta ahs also made annual<br />
contributions towards the Institute’s<br />
maintenance and servicing costs.<br />
<strong>IMO</strong> International Maritime<br />
Academy (IMA)<br />
The Committee was updated on the<br />
courses held at IMA during 2003 and<br />
scheduled for 20<strong>04</strong>, including the twelfth Flag<br />
State Implementation and Port State Control<br />
course.<br />
The IMA model course on nautical<br />
cartography has been awarded international<br />
recognition by the International Advisory<br />
Board on Standards of Competence for<br />
Hydrographers and Nautical Cartographers,<br />
in May 20<strong>04</strong>. It is the first course on this<br />
topic to receive international recognition.<br />
The Secretary-General thanked the<br />
Government of Italy and other donors to<br />
IMA, namely, the Province of Trieste, the<br />
European Union, the International<br />
Hydrographic Organization and the Regione<br />
Autonoma Fruili Venezia Giulia, for their<br />
sustained support which has enabled the<br />
Academy to continue its invaluable work.<br />
Women in the Maritime Sector<br />
The <strong>IMO</strong> Programme for the Integration of<br />
Women in the Maritime Sector (IWMS), is<br />
now into its 15th year of operation since its<br />
inception in 1989, the Committee was told.<br />
A key event in the last 12 months had been<br />
a regional seminar on The role of women in<br />
the maritime sector: opportunities and<br />
challenges in Apia, Samoa, in October 2003.<br />
The guest speakers included a number of<br />
women holding senior posts in the maritime<br />
industry in the region, whose presentations<br />
provided an invaluable insight into the<br />
impediments which face women who are<br />
seeking to train or to work in the maritime<br />
sector.<br />
A number of delegations expressed their<br />
support for and commitment to the IWMS<br />
programme. The delegation of Canada<br />
informed the Committee that 25 per cent of<br />
graduates from the Coastguard College<br />
(Canada) in 2003 were women, with a figure<br />
of 77 per cent in 20<strong>04</strong>. The delegation of<br />
Brazil stated that women currently<br />
represented 31 per cent of students in the<br />
national naval academies. One female captain<br />
has recently graduated. The delegation of<br />
Nigeria noted the support given by the<br />
Minister for Transport of Nigeria for the<br />
establishment of a National Maritime<br />
Women’s Association.<br />
PORT STATE CONTROL<br />
LONDON, 14 – 24 March, 2005<br />
This widely recognised and practical intensive course is now in its 17th successive year. The course is designed<br />
especially for officials in national marine departments, port or terminal operators, ship managers and shipowners.<br />
The course covers in detail the major <strong>IMO</strong> conventions and codes along with other relevant international regulations<br />
and conventions, inspection systems and documentation. Special sections of the course concentrate on the ISPS<br />
code.<br />
The Course is taught by an experienced team of academics and practitioners from the<br />
UK, USA and Europe.<br />
Venue: Senate House, University of London<br />
Fees: Sterling £2,600<br />
The course is conducted by the Centre for Maritime Co-operation<br />
of the International Chamber of Commerce.<br />
Further details can be obtained from:<br />
Miss Angeles Aguado, Course Co-ordinator<br />
ICC Centre for Maritime Co-operation<br />
Maritime House, 1 Linton Road, Barking, Essex IG11 8HG, United Kingdom<br />
Tel: ++ 44 20 8591 3000 Fax: ++ 44 20 8594 2833<br />
E-mail: cmc@icc-ccs.org.uk Web: www.icc-ccs.org.uk<br />
Nav approves revised radar performance<br />
standards<br />
The Nav Sub-Committee approved revised<br />
performance standards for radar<br />
equipment and approved the draft MSC<br />
resolution on adoption of the revised<br />
performance standards for radar equipment<br />
for submission to the MSC.<br />
The Sub-Committee agreed that there was<br />
a further need for the development of<br />
guidelines on installation of shipborne radar<br />
equipment and navigation-related definitions.<br />
The revised standards are intended to<br />
respond to the need for unification of<br />
maritime radar standards in general and, in<br />
particular, for display and presentation of<br />
navigation-related information. The revised<br />
standards also take into account that marine<br />
radars are used in connection or integrated<br />
with other navigational equipment required<br />
to be carried on board ships such as, an<br />
automatic target tracking aid, ARPA, AIS,<br />
ECDIS and others.<br />
Routeing of ships, ship<br />
reporting and related matters<br />
The Sub-Committee approved the<br />
following for submission to the MSC for<br />
adoption:<br />
New traffic separation schemes (TSSs)<br />
• Approaches to the Cape Fear river (United<br />
States)<br />
•Off Mina Al-Ahmadi (Kuwait)<br />
Amendments to existing TSSs<br />
• Amendments to the traffic separation<br />
schemes in Puget Sound and its<br />
approaches in Haro Strait, Boundary Pass<br />
and in the Strait of Georgia (Canada and<br />
the United States)<br />
• Amendments to the traffic separation<br />
scheme in the approaches to Chesapeake<br />
Bay (United States)<br />
• Amendments to the traffic separation<br />
schemes Off Cape Roca and Off Cape S.<br />
Vicente (Portugal)<br />
• Revoking of the traffic separation scheme<br />
Off the Berlengas Islands (Portugal)<br />
• Amendments to the traffic separation<br />
scheme in the approaches to Puerto San<br />
Martin (Peru)<br />
Routeing measures other than TSSs<br />
• Establishment of an Area to be Avoided<br />
and a mandatory No-Anchoring Area in the<br />
West Cameron Area of the Gulf of Mexico<br />
(United States)<br />
• Amendments to the Notes in the existing<br />
deep-water route in the southern approach<br />
to Chesapeake Bay (United States)<br />
• Establishment of an Area to be Avoided in<br />
the region of the Berlengas Islands<br />
(Portugal)<br />
Amendments to General<br />
Provisions on Ships’ Routeing<br />
The Sub-Committee approved proposals to<br />
amend the General Provisions on Ships’<br />
Routeing and Guidelines and Criteria for Ship<br />
Reporting Systems to standardize the use of<br />
WGS 84 datum. The proposed amendments<br />
will be forwarded to the MSC for adoption.<br />
Proposed compulsory<br />
pilotage in the Torres Strait<br />
The Sub-Committee considered the<br />
proposal for compulsory pilotage in the<br />
Torres Strait as an associated protective<br />
measure, following the Marine Environment<br />
Protection Committee’s approval in principle,<br />
in July 2003 (MEPC 49), of a proposal from<br />
Australia and Papua New Guinea for the<br />
extension of the Great Barrier Reef PSSA to<br />
cover the Torres Strait Region, together with<br />
the associated protective measures.<br />
The Sub-Committee noted that the<br />
Working Group on Ships’ Routeing agreed<br />
that the proposed compulsory pilotage in the<br />
Torres Strait was operationally feasible and<br />
largely proportionate to provide protection to<br />
the marine environment. The Sub-Committee<br />
also noted the opinion of a number of<br />
delegations that there is no clear legal basis<br />
to adopt a compulsory pilotage regime in<br />
straits used for international navigation.<br />
The Sub-Committee therefore invited<br />
MEPC 52, in October 20<strong>04</strong>, to refer the legal<br />
issue of compulsory pilotage in such straits<br />
to the Legal Committee meeting later in<br />
October (LEG 89), in order to enable MSC<br />
79, in December 20<strong>04</strong>, to consider the<br />
proposal with the legal basis resolved.<br />
Marine radar equipment – new performance standards<br />
approved (pic: Kelvin Hughes)<br />
The Sub-Committee also requested the<br />
MSC to consider whether there may be a<br />
need to develop guidelines and criteria for<br />
compulsory pilotage in straits used for<br />
international navigation, notwithstanding the<br />
diverse views of delegations regarding a legal<br />
basis for such a regime.<br />
New Ship Reporting System in<br />
Western European Waters<br />
PSSA approved<br />
The Sub-Committee approved the<br />
establishment of a new mandatory Ship<br />
Reporting System as an associated protective<br />
measure in the Western European Waters<br />
PSSA. The Western European Waters PSSA<br />
was approved in principle by the MEPC at its<br />
49th session in July 2003.<br />
Presentation of navigationrelated<br />
information<br />
The Sub-Committee approved the draft<br />
MSC resolution on Performance Standards<br />
for the Presentation of Navigation-related<br />
Information on Shipborne Navigational<br />
Displays and endorsed the draft SN/Circ. on<br />
Guidelines for the presentation of navigationrelated<br />
symbols, terms and abbreviations for<br />
submission to MSC 79.<br />
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www.imo.org. No.3 20<strong>04</strong> <strong>IMO</strong> NEWS 33
From the meetings<br />
• Sub-Committee on Safety of Navigation<br />
• 50th session•<br />
• 5 - 9 July 20<strong>04</strong><br />
Facilitation Committee • From the meetings<br />
31st session •<br />
19 - 23 July 20<strong>04</strong> •<br />
Committee approves FAL Convention<br />
amendments<br />
Navigation sections of Fishing<br />
Vessel Code and Guidelines<br />
approved<br />
The Sub-Committee approved the<br />
proposed amendments to the draft revised<br />
chapter X of the Fishing Vessel Safety Code<br />
and to the draft revised chapter 10 of the<br />
draft revised Voluntary Guidelines, for<br />
submission to the Sub-Committee on Stability<br />
and Load Lines and on Fishing Vessels Safety<br />
(SLF), which is co-ordinating revision of the<br />
Code and Guidelines.<br />
Uniform application of<br />
COLREG Rule 1(e)<br />
The Sub-Committee endorsed the draft<br />
MSC circular providing additional guidance<br />
for uniform application of COLREG Rule 1(e)<br />
and forwarded it to the MSC for approval.<br />
COLREG Rule 1(e) states that “when a<br />
vessel of special construction or purpose<br />
cannot comply fully with the provisions of any<br />
of these rules with respect to number,<br />
position, range or arc of visibility of lights or<br />
shapes, as well as to the disposition and<br />
characteristics of sound-signalling appliances,<br />
such vessel shall comply with such other<br />
provisions in regard to number, position,<br />
range or arc of visibility of lights or shapes,<br />
as well as to the disposition and<br />
characteristics of sound-signalling appliances<br />
as her Government shall have determined to<br />
be the closest possible compliance with these<br />
rules in respect of that vessel.”<br />
Use of the destination-field in<br />
AIS messages<br />
The Sub-Committee endorsed the draft<br />
SN/Circ. on Guidance on the use of<br />
UN/LOCODE in the destination field in AIS<br />
messages. The draft circular proposes use of<br />
the UN/LOCODE in a standardized way in<br />
the AIS destination field, which would<br />
eliminate confusion and allow automatic<br />
processing of the information.<br />
Use of ECDIS to be evaluated<br />
The Sub-Committee agreed to establish a<br />
correspondence group to evaluate the use of<br />
ECDIS and look at possible changes to the<br />
carriage requirements for ECDIS. The group<br />
will submit a report to NAV 51 in July 2005.<br />
The Facilitation Committee approved draft<br />
amendments to the FAL Convention intended to<br />
modernise the Convention to enhance the facilitation<br />
of international maritime traffic and take into<br />
account the revised Kyoto Convention on the<br />
Simplification of Customs Procedures, established<br />
under the auspices of the World Customs<br />
Organization.<br />
The proposed amendments include the following:<br />
• the use of risk management to enhance border<br />
control procedures to facilitate the legitimate<br />
circulation of persons and goods<br />
• a proposed draft Recommended Practice that<br />
public authorities should develop procedures to<br />
use pre-arrival and pre-departure information to<br />
facilitate the processing of information required<br />
by public authorities to expedite release and<br />
clearance of cargo and persons<br />
• a draft Recommended Practice that all<br />
information should be submitted to a single point<br />
to avoid duplication<br />
• encouragement of electronic transmission of<br />
information<br />
• the addition of reference to the International Ship<br />
and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code and<br />
SOLAS chapter XI-2 in the Standards and<br />
Recommended Practices which mention security<br />
measures.<br />
If adopted as intended at the next FAL Committee<br />
session, in July 2005, the entry into force date would<br />
be set as 1 January 2007.<br />
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the Office of<br />
the United Nations High Commissioner for Human<br />
Rights (OHCHR) and the International Organization<br />
for Migration.<br />
The meeting noted that the SOLAS and SAR<br />
amendments relating to persons rescued at sea<br />
(which were adopted in May 20<strong>04</strong>) would, if<br />
accepted by Member States, place for the first time,<br />
obligations on Contracting Governments to “coordinate<br />
and co-operate” in progressing the matter<br />
so that assisted survivors are disembarked from the<br />
assisting ship and delivered to a place of safety<br />
within a reasonable time.<br />
The meeting reaffirmed the need for the<br />
development of a common approach at the UN interagency<br />
level. It also agreed that <strong>IMO</strong> had completed<br />
its work in closing the gap identified in the<br />
regulations relating to search and rescue and<br />
delivery to a place of safety. Any further<br />
supplementary guidance would only be required for<br />
the post-rescue phase and was beyond <strong>IMO</strong>’s remit.<br />
Development of explanatory<br />
manual on FAL Convention<br />
The Committee approved the framework for the<br />
development of a draft explanatory manual on the<br />
FAL Convention. The aim is to adopt the manual in<br />
2006. A correspondence group was established to<br />
develop it.<br />
The Committee agreed a standard<br />
minimum data-set that ships could<br />
expect to be required to transmit<br />
prior to entry into port<br />
Persons rescued at sea<br />
The Committee also approved a proposed FAL<br />
amendment relating to persons rescued at sea, to be<br />
included in a standard in Section 2 - Arrival, stay and<br />
departure of the ship. The proposed amendment<br />
would require public authorities to facilitate the<br />
arrival and departure of ships engaged in the rescue<br />
of persons in distress at sea in order to provide a<br />
place of safety for such persons.<br />
The Committee was informed that a second<br />
meeting of the United Nations inter-agency initiative<br />
relating to the rescue of persons in distress at sea<br />
was held at <strong>IMO</strong> Headquarters (12 July 20<strong>04</strong>),<br />
chaired by <strong>IMO</strong>. It was attended by representatives<br />
of the UN Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of<br />
the Sea (DOALOS) – which on this occasion also<br />
represented the United Nations Office on Drugs and<br />
Crime (UNODC), the Office of the United Nations<br />
34 <strong>IMO</strong> NEWS No.3 20<strong>04</strong> www.imo.org.<br />
www.imo.org. No.3 20<strong>04</strong> <strong>IMO</strong> NEWS 35
From the meetings<br />
• Facilitation Committee<br />
<strong>IMO</strong> at work<br />
• 31st session<br />
• 19 - 23 July 20<strong>04</strong><br />
Security issues - standard<br />
minimum data required prior<br />
to port entry<br />
The facilitation aspects of implementing<br />
the maritime security measures which<br />
entered into force on 1 July 20<strong>04</strong>, including<br />
the ISPS Code, were discussed. The<br />
Ship/Port Interface (SPI) working group was<br />
advised that some SOLAS Contracting<br />
Governments were requiring ships calling at<br />
their ports to provide information prior to<br />
arrival beyond what is specified in the<br />
relevant SOLAS regulation (XI-2/9.2.1) and in<br />
the ISPS Code (paragraphs B/4.37 to<br />
B/4.39).<br />
The Committee agreed that the<br />
submission by ships prior to their arrival of<br />
certain minimum security-related information<br />
would be in the interest of the shipping<br />
industry, would facilitate maritime traffic and<br />
might stem the proliferation of differing<br />
national practices.<br />
The Committee therefore agreed to a<br />
standard minimum data-set that ships could<br />
expect to be required to transmit prior to<br />
entry into port. It includes ship details, such<br />
as name, call sign and flag; and confirmation<br />
that the ship possesses a valid International<br />
Ship Security Certificate or a valid Interim<br />
International Ship Security Certificate. The<br />
Committee decided to bring the outcome of<br />
this work to the attention of the Maritime<br />
Safety Committee (MSC) for its consideration<br />
and to invite the MSC to review the content<br />
of the recommended data-set.<br />
List of certificates and<br />
documents required to be<br />
carried on board ships<br />
The Committee approved the revised List<br />
of certificates and documents required to be<br />
carried on board ship. This is to be issued as<br />
a joint FAL/MEPC/MSC Circular. Subject to<br />
approval received by the MEPC and MSC<br />
later this year, the revised circular will<br />
replace FAL/Circ.90/ MEPC/Circ.368/<br />
MSC/Circ.946, issued in 2000.<br />
Chairmen meet to improve<br />
procedures<br />
Ameeting of the MSC, MEPC and<br />
sub-committee chairmen has<br />
been held at <strong>IMO</strong> headquarters, to<br />
work towards maximizing the<br />
efficiency and effectiveness of the<br />
committees and sub-committees.<br />
Among other topics, the meeting<br />
discussed new terms of reference,<br />
new reporting procedures and the<br />
issue of press coverage of Committee<br />
and sub-committee meetings. The<br />
meeting was co-chaired by Mr. T. Allan<br />
(United Kingdom), Chairman of the<br />
MSC and Mr. A. Chrysostomou<br />
(Cyprus), Chairman of the MEPC.<br />
SG visits Mediterranean pollution centre<br />
<strong>IMO</strong> Secretary-General Mitropoulos has visited<br />
the Regional Marine Pollution Emergency<br />
Response Centre for the Mediterranean Sea<br />
(REMPEC), meeting the Director of the centre,<br />
Rear Admiral Roberto Patruno, and staff.<br />
During the meeting, Mr Mitropoulos<br />
highlighted the important role of REMPEC in<br />
the Mediterranean and stated that <strong>IMO</strong><br />
considered the Centre as part of the “<strong>IMO</strong><br />
family” and an effective tool for the protection of<br />
the marine environment in the Region. Rear<br />
Admiral Patruno, Director of REMPEC assured<br />
Mr Mitropoulos of REMPEC’s full support to<br />
the efforts undertaken by <strong>IMO</strong> in fulfilling its<br />
objective of “Safer Seas and Cleaner Oceans”.<br />
New generation of maritime<br />
lawyers graduate from IMLI<br />
IMLI, the Malta©based International Maritime<br />
Law Institute (IMLI), held its 15th Graduation<br />
Ceremony in May at the Malta Maritime<br />
Museum in Vittoriosa, in the the presence of<br />
<strong>IMO</strong>’s Secretary General Efthimios<br />
Mitropoulos, former <strong>IMO</strong> Secretary-General Mr.<br />
William O’Neil (Chairman of the IMLI Govering<br />
Board), and many distinguished guests.<br />
Professor David Attard, IMLI Director,<br />
expressed his thanks to the <strong>IMO</strong> Technical<br />
Cooperation Division, The Nippon Foundation,<br />
Lloyd’s Register, The Comit¿) Maritime<br />
International, The Malta Maritime<br />
Authority and a number of<br />
Governments for their generous<br />
contributions in providing scholarships<br />
and paid special tribute to the<br />
Governments of Malta and Switzerland<br />
for “their unwavering, constant support<br />
to the Institute’s funding”. He also<br />
thanked the IMLI’s Governors, resident<br />
faculty and IMLI staff, concluding with<br />
wishing students further success in<br />
their professional careers.<br />
REMPEC, established in 1976 within the<br />
framework of the Mediterranean Action Plan<br />
of the United Nations Environment<br />
Programme (UNEP), assists Mediterranean<br />
coastal States in the implementation of the<br />
Prevention and Emergency Protocol to the<br />
Barcelona Convention for the Protection of the<br />
Mediterranean Sea against Pollution. The<br />
Intergovernmental United Nations Regional<br />
Centre, which operates from premises on<br />
Manoel Island, that were made available by the<br />
Government of Malta in a “host country”<br />
agreement between <strong>IMO</strong> and Malta, is<br />
administered by <strong>IMO</strong> and financed by the<br />
Mediterranean Trust Fund.<br />
Established under the auspices of the<br />
International Maritime Organization (<strong>IMO</strong>), the<br />
<strong>IMO</strong> International Maritime Law Institute<br />
(IMLI) is an international centre for training<br />
specialists in maritime law. In 15 years of its<br />
existence IMLI has successfully trained 3<strong>04</strong><br />
lawyers from 98 countries around the world with<br />
knowledge and skills which should enable their<br />
respective administrations to uphold the rule of<br />
law in International Maritime Law and<br />
contribute to <strong>IMO</strong>’s aims of safer shipping and<br />
cleaner oceans.<br />
FAL seminar<br />
highlights<br />
Mahgreb issues<br />
Aregional Facilitation (FAL) seminar,<br />
financed by the <strong>IMO</strong> Technical Cooperation<br />
Fund, was held in Maputo,<br />
Mozambique, in May, in co-operation with<br />
the country’s Ministry of Transport and<br />
Communications,. The seminar was attended<br />
by 23 participants from 14 selected East<br />
African region countries (Angola, Comoros,<br />
Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Madagascar,<br />
Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia,<br />
Kenya, Seychelles, Tanzania, Uganda). In<br />
addition, a sub-regional FAL seminar was<br />
held in Algiers, Algeria during the same<br />
month, in co-operation with the Ministry of<br />
Transport of Algeria. It was attended by 50<br />
participants from the Maghreb region<br />
countries (Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia).<br />
Among the outcomes reported from the<br />
Maghreb region seminar, it was noted that in<br />
tackling economic development and the<br />
significant rise in trading in their commercial<br />
and tourist sectors, the countries of the<br />
Maghreb had improved facilities at their<br />
maritime terminals, simplifying passenger<br />
procedures by deploying customs officials,<br />
insurance representatives and, in certain<br />
countries, on-board police, with a view to<br />
completing formalities prior to<br />
disembarkation;<br />
Given the success of the above-mentioned<br />
measures, the seminar proposed that a<br />
Recommended Practice Part G should be<br />
added to the FAL Convention to make<br />
provision for the on-board presence of<br />
customs, police and insurance officials. This<br />
measure would ease the transit, especially in<br />
summer, of passengers, their baggage and<br />
vehicles, by advancing the respective<br />
procedures.<br />
The seminar also recommended that port<br />
security and facilitation activities should be<br />
considered together, and that provisions of<br />
the ISPS Code should be integrated into the<br />
FAL Convention.<br />
The Maghreb region countries have been<br />
invited to submit proposals to <strong>IMO</strong> on the<br />
seminar recommendations.<br />
Seatrade awards –<br />
entries sought<br />
<strong>IMO</strong> Secretary-General Efthimios<br />
Mitropoulos is to chair the panel of judges<br />
for the 2005 Seatrade Awards. The awards<br />
ceremony will be held at London’s Guildhall<br />
next April, and entries for the various awards<br />
are now being accepted by the Seatrade<br />
organisation.<br />
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www.imo.org. No.3 20<strong>04</strong> <strong>IMO</strong> NEWS 37
<strong>IMO</strong> at work<br />
<strong>IMO</strong> waves the<br />
flag about<br />
shipping as QM2<br />
model sails in<br />
Secretary-General Mitropoulos said it was<br />
time to promote the image of shipping,<br />
as he received on behalf of <strong>IMO</strong> a replica<br />
model of the Queen Mary 2 cruise ship from<br />
the International Council of Cruise Lines and<br />
their members Cunard and Carnival Cruise<br />
Lines.<br />
Referring to the Queen Mary 2 as a “a<br />
symbol for all that is excellent in shipping<br />
today”, Mr. Mitropoulos said the presentation<br />
was one occasion on which “we can,<br />
justifiably, I think, wave the flag about<br />
shipping and give the wider world an<br />
excellent example of just why those of us<br />
involved in this great industry are so proud<br />
of it and proud of the part it plays in our<br />
global society today.”<br />
Mr. Mitropoulos said he believed the<br />
image of shipping did need promotion,<br />
adding: “I find it grossly unfair that, when<br />
something goes wrong in shipping,<br />
politicians and the public are quick to<br />
criticize and condemn, whereas, when great<br />
things happen in the industry, such as the<br />
safe and clean delivery of goods by sea in<br />
their overwhelming majority or the arrival of<br />
beautiful ships such as the QM2, they mostly<br />
go unnoticed.”<br />
“The arrival of such a beautiful and<br />
prestigious vessel which, by the very nature<br />
of her heritage will capture the imagination of<br />
a wider public, provides a great opportunity<br />
to promote shipping” he said, adding: “This<br />
magnificent ship has, quite rightly, been<br />
celebrated and fêted both as the inheritor of a<br />
proud tradition and as the embodiment of the<br />
kind of cutting-edge, future-orientated<br />
solutions that we see all over the world in<br />
every facet of shipping today.”<br />
The model ship was presented by Ms. Pam<br />
Conover, President and CEO of Cunard Line<br />
Ltd. Also speaking at the ceremony were Mr.<br />
David Jamieson, MP, Minister for Shipping,<br />
United Kingdom and Mr. Michael Crye,<br />
President of ICCL. Commodore Ronald<br />
Warwick, Shipmaster of the Year and master<br />
of the QM 2, also attended.<br />
ICCL also presented <strong>IMO</strong> with a cheque<br />
for US$10,000 as a contribution to the<br />
recently established International Search and<br />
Rescue (SAR) Fund, which will assist<br />
countries which do not have the resources to<br />
put into place an adequate SAR infrastructure<br />
and thereby fill a gap in <strong>IMO</strong>’s efforts to<br />
establish the global SAR plan on a realistic,<br />
efficient and effective basis.<br />
Mural says “keep it clean”<br />
The Council has appointed Secretary-<br />
General Mitropoulos as Chancellor of the<br />
World Maritime University (WMU) for the<br />
two-year period 1 July 20<strong>04</strong> to 30 June 2006.<br />
The Council also accorded the status of<br />
Chancellor Emeritus of the WMU to the<br />
former chancellor and previous <strong>IMO</strong><br />
Secretary-General Mr. William A. O’Neil. The<br />
Council also appointed Mr. Mitropoulos<br />
Chairman of the International Maritime Law<br />
New navaids tender for<br />
Middle East<br />
The Middle East Navigation Aids Service<br />
(MENAS) has introduced its new<br />
multipurpose light tender vessel Relume in a<br />
special naming ceremony at Damen<br />
Shipyards’ Royal Schelde facility in<br />
Vlissingen, in the Netherlands. The vessel,<br />
the third MENAS ship to bear the name<br />
Relume, was christened by Mrs Chantal E<br />
Mitropoulos, wife of <strong>IMO</strong> Secretary-General<br />
Efthimios Mitropoulos.<br />
Although the paramount responsibility of<br />
the new Relume will be, like that of its<br />
predecessors, the provision and<br />
maintenance of aids to navigation in the<br />
international waters of the Arabian<br />
Gulf, the new 82-metre long vessel<br />
will offer a wide range of related<br />
services that neither of the two<br />
earlier vessels could perform.<br />
Speaking at the naming ceremony,<br />
Mr Mitropoulos said, “The new<br />
Relume is, in its way, a reflection of<br />
the changes that have affected the<br />
wider shipping world. Coming 25<br />
years after its predecessor it presents<br />
a radically different technical profile,<br />
with features that were scarcely<br />
dreamt of a quarter of a century ago.<br />
With great flexibility of role and<br />
Ms Annah Tipis, a WMU<br />
graduate of 1987 and<br />
delegate to the <strong>IMO</strong>/UNEP<br />
Workshop in Mombasa earlier this<br />
year was proud to show delegates<br />
the mural she had painted depicting<br />
the cruiseship Njaramba, which is<br />
named after her son. Ms Tipis, who<br />
works in the maritime<br />
administration in Kenya, explained:<br />
“We all have to do our bit to<br />
educate our neighbours to keep the<br />
seas clean and this is my way of<br />
doing it.”<br />
<strong>IMO</strong> Council makes WMU appointments<br />
Institute (IMLI) Governing Board for the<br />
two-year period 1 July 20<strong>04</strong> to 30 June 2006.<br />
Mr. Mitropoulos said he was pleased and<br />
honoured to accept his appointments and was<br />
delighted at the recognition given to his<br />
predecessor, Mr. O’Neil. “The pre-eminent position<br />
of the WMU has been gained in no small part<br />
through Mr. O’Neil’s activities as Chancellor and<br />
the status of Chancellor Emeritus was justifiably<br />
accorded by acclamation,” Mr. Mitropoulos said.<br />
operational scope it will offer a much wider<br />
range of services than ever before. Being<br />
equipped for oil spill response, it will make<br />
a contribution to the region’s marine<br />
environmental protection capability, actively<br />
serving those States parties to the OPRC<br />
Convention of 1990. The vessel will also<br />
play a major part in the training of nationals<br />
from littoral states in both oil prevention<br />
preparedness and oil spill response and I<br />
am especially encouraged by MENAS’<br />
willingness to make its new ship available to<br />
the nations of the Gulf Co-Operation<br />
Council for training purposes.”<br />
38 <strong>IMO</strong> NEWS No.3 20<strong>04</strong> www.imo.org.<br />
www.imo.org. No.3 20<strong>04</strong> <strong>IMO</strong> NEWS 39