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FEATURE
New building, new era for the World Maritime University
NEWS
The magazine of the International Maritime Organization Issue 2 • 2015
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NEWS
Safety guidelines adopted for domestic ferries
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FROM THE MEETINGS
Helicopter fire-fighting requirements agreed
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Tackling the trafficking of illegal wildlife products. How can maritime transport contribute?
IMO NEWS
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IMO NEWS
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ISSUE 2
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CONTENTS
OPINION
NEWS
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Safety guidelines adopted for domestic ferries
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Polar Code environmental provisions adopted
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Nairobi Wreck Removal Convention enters into force
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Plastic particles in the ocean may be as harmful as plastic bags
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IMO Secretary-General repeats calls to safeguard migrants
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Online ballast water management tools launched
Ensuring the highest standards for domestic ferries
FROM THE MEETINGS
on Ship Design 15 Sub-Committee and Construction (SDC); 2nd session; 16-20 February 2015 on Navigation, 18 Sub-Committee Communications and Search & Rescue (NCSR); 2nd session; 9-13 March 2015 on Ship Systems 20 Sub-Committee and Equipment (SSE); 2nd
IMO AT WORK FEATURES
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New building, new era for the World Maritime University
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wildlife products
Tackling the trafficking of illegal
28-38 News and stories from around the world on IMO’s work to promote safe, secure and sustainable shipping on clean oceans
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IMO NEWS • ISSUE 2 • 2015 A message from IMO Secretary-General, Mr Koji Sekimizu
OPINION IMO AT WORK
Ensuring the highest standards for domestic ferries
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n the recent past there have been a number of unfortunate accidents and incidents involving passenger ships. Looking back some 15 years or so, IMO took a proactive approach to the safety of passenger ships in the light of their increasing size – of cruise ships, in particular. That approach resulted in many enhancements to the safety regime for large passenger ships, and the ships being brought into service today clearly benefit from the work undertaken by IMO. Unfortunately, while the safety standards on passenger ships on international voyages has advanced considerably, the same cannot be said for passenger shipping in the domestic sector. Since the beginning of 2014, more than 20 ships carrying passengers on domestic short-sea voyages have suffered severe accidents, with an unacceptably high loss of life. One of the most notable was the capsize and sinking of the ro-ro passenger ferry Sewol in April 2014. Shortly after the tragic accident, I stated that I was deeply concerned by the current, high level of lives lost in accidents at sea every year and, therefore, the time had come for IMO to take further action to improve the safety of domestic passenger ships, which often carry hundreds of people. As a result, in April this year, a conference on the
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enhancement of safety of ships carrying passengers on non-international voyages was held in Manila, hosted by the Government of the Philippines. The conference adopted guidelines on the safe operation of coastal and inter-island passenger ships not engaged in international voyages, and you can read more about the conference and its outcome elsewhere in this issue. The guidelines are aimed at enhancing the operational safety of domestic ferries with a view to reducing the mounting toll of accidents and the consequent loss of life. The conference also adopted the “Manila Statement”, which urged States to review and update national regulations in relation to their passenger ferries and to apply the guidelines. Domestic ferry operations play a crucial role in the movement of people and goods, and sometimes represent the only possible or reasonably affordable means of transport. Today’s globalized citizenry has every right to expect that safety standards on domestic passenger ships should not only be the highest practicable but also match those to be found on passenger ships operating on international voyages. The safety of domestic ferries is a shared responsibility between and among Governments; local authorities; ship-owners, ship-managers, shipoperators; shipboard personnel; maritime education and training institutions; classification societies; I firmly believe that the insurance providers; port authorities, port terminal currently unacceptable level owners and operators; and of casualties and incidents the public and civil society involving domestic ferries as users of the services can be avoided if adequate provided. I firmly believe that the laws, regulations and rules currently unacceptable level are developed and effectively of casualties and incidents implemented and enforced. involving domestic ferries can be avoided if adequate laws, regulations and rules are developed and effectively implemented and enforced. I pledged, at the Manila Conference, that IMO would step up technical cooperation projects in this regard in the future. The perils of the sea do not distinguish between ships engaged on international or non-international voyages and the protection of life at sea is a moral obligation. Those travelling by domestic ferries should enjoy the highest practicable standard of safety irrespective of their citizenship.
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Safety guidelines adopted for domestic ferries
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he IMO Conference on the enhancement of safety of ships carrying passengers on non-international voyages, held in Manila, the Philippines, on 24 April 2015, adopted guidelines to aid the process of reducing the mounting toll of accidents involving such vessels by addressing the question of whether a ship is fit for purpose in its intended role. The “Manila Statement”, adopted by the conference, acknowledges the urgent need to enhance the safety of ships carrying passengers on non-international voyages in certain parts of the world. It urges States to review and update national regulations regarding passenger ferries and to apply the guidelines, in order to address the continuing unacceptable loss of life and damage to the environment and property due to marine casualties and incidents involving such vessels. The Manila Statement highlights that the safety of domestic ferries is a shared responsibility between and among Governments; local authorities; ship-owners, ship-managers, ship-operators; shipboard personnel; maritime education and training institutions; classification societies and
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organizations which Governments authorize to survey and certify domestic ferries for compliance with the applicable laws, regulations and rules; insurance providers; port authorities, port terminal owners and operators; and the public and civil society as users of the services provided. Speaking at the closing session of the conference, which was hosted by the Government of the Philippines, IMO SecretaryGeneral Koji Sekimizu said that domestic ferry operations played a crucial role in the movement of people and goods, and sometimes represented the only possible and/
The perils of the sea do not distinguish between ships engaged on international or non-international voyages and the protection of life at sea is a moral obligation or reasonably affordable means of transport. “The public expects safety standards on domestic passenger ferries to be as strong as those on international vessels,” Mr Sekimizu
said. “The perils of the sea do not distinguish between ships engaged on international or non-international voyages and the protection of life at sea is a moral obligation. Those travelling by domestic ferries should enjoy the highest practicable standard of safety irrespective of their citizenship.” “Casualties and incidents involving domestic ferries can be avoided if adequate laws, regulations and rules are developed and effectively implemented and enforced,” Mr Sekimizu said. The conference was attended by representatives of 13 IMO Member States as well as observers from international organizations. The Manila statement strongly recommends the use of the Guidelines on the safe operation of coastal and inter-island passenger ships not engaged in international voyages. The guidelines address issues relating to: the purchase of a second-hand ship intended to enter into service as a domestic passenger ship; a change in operating limits; the conversion or modification of a ship before the ship enters into service as a domestic passenger ship; passenger counting and voyage planning. The guidelines
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Polar Code environmental provisions adopted
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Domestic ferries can be sizeable vessels carrying hundreds of passengers on open-sea voyages
can also be used to check the operation of ships which are already providing passenger services; and those relating to passenger counting and voyage planning can be used in regular daily operations. The statement also urges States that need technical assistance on matters relating to the operation of domestic ferries to seek such assistance from IMO or from other States. The conference was organized in the context of an on-going programme conducted by IMO, through its technical cooperation programme, to improve the safety of sea and inland water transport operations in several countries and regions, while recognizing that the regulatory framework of domestic passenger ferries varies considerably from place to place. Since 2006, activities relating to domestic ferries have been pursued in partnership with the international non-governmental organization Interferry, including a series of fora on the safety of domestic ferries in the East Asia sub-region and for Pacific Island Countries and Territories, as well as the implementation of a national pilot project in Bangladesh, including the development of country-specific training programmes.
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• Prevention of pollution by sewage: hips trading in the Polar Regions will discharge of sewage is prohibited unless have to comply with strict safety and performed in line with MARPOL Annex environmental provisions specific IV and requirements in the Polar Code; to the harsh conditions in the Arctic and Antarctic, following the adoption of the • Prevention of pollution by garbage: environmental part of the International discharge of garbage is restricted and Code for Ships operating in Polar Waters only permitted in accordance with (Polar Code) and associated MARPOL MARPOL Annex V and requirements in amendments to make the Code mandatory the Polar Code. by IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) at its 68th session (May The adoption of the environmental 2015). provisions follows the adoption, by the The Polar Code covers the full range Maritime Safety Committee (MSC), in of design, construction, equipment, November 2014, of the safety-related operational, training, search and rescue requirements of the Polar Code and and environmental protection matters related amendments relevant to ships to make it mandatory operating in waters The complete Polar under the International surrounding the two Code, encompassing Convention for the poles. the safety-related and Safety of Life at The newly-adopted environment-related environmental requirements, is expected Sea (SOLAS). The complete Polar Code, provisions cover: to enter into force on encompassing the 1 January 2017 safety-related and • Prevention of environment-related requirements, is pollution by oil: discharge into the sea expected to enter into force on 1 January of oil or oily mixtures from any ship 2017. is prohibited. Oil fuel tanks must be separated from the outer shell; It will apply to new ships constructed on or after 1 January 2017. Ships • Prevention of pollution by noxious constructed before that date will be liquid substances: discharge into the required to meet the relevant requirements sea of noxious liquid substances, or of the Polar Code by the first intermediate mixtures containing such substances is or renewal survey, whichever occurs first, prohibited; after 1 January 2018.
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Plastic particles in the ocean may be as harmful as plastic bags Nairobi Wreck Removal Convention enters into force
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he Nairobi International Convention on the Removal of Wrecks entered into force on 14 April 2015. The Convention places strict liability on owners for locating, marking and removing wrecks deemed to be a hazard and makes State certification of insurance, or other form of financial security for such liability, compulsory for ships of 300 gt and above. It also provides States Parties with a right of direct action against insurers. The Convention fills a gap in the existing international legal framework by providing a set of uniform international rules for the prompt and effective removal of wrecks located in a country’s exclusive economic zone or equivalent 200 nautical miles zone. The Convention also contains a clause that enables States Parties to “opt in” to apply certain provisions to their territory, including the territorial sea. Additionally, the Convention provides a legal basis for States Parties to remove, or have removed, wrecks that pose a danger or impediment to navigation or that may be expected to result in major harmful consequences to the marine environment, or damage to the coastline or related interests of one or more States. The Convention also applies to a ship that is about, or may reasonably be expected, to sink or to strand, where effective measures to assist the ship or any property in danger are not already being taken.
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Provisions in the Convention include: • a duty on the ship’s master or operator to report to the “Affected State” a maritime casualty resulting in a wreck and a duty on the Affected State to warn mariners and the States concerned of the nature and location of the wreck, as well as a duty on the Affected State that all practicable steps are taken to locate the wreck; • criteria for determining the hazard posed by wrecks, including depth of water above the wreck, proximity of shipping routes, traffic density and frequency, type of traffic and vulnerability of port facilities. Environmental criteria such as damage likely to result from the release into the marine environment of cargo or oil are also included; • measures to facilitate the removal of wrecks, including rights and obligations to remove hazardous wrecks, which set out when the shipowner is responsible for removing the wreck and when the Affected State may intervene; • liability of the owner for the costs of locating, marking and removing wrecks – the registered shipowner is required to maintain compulsory insurance or other financial security to cover liability under the convention; • settlement of disputes.
Micro-plastics – tiny pieces of plastic or fibres which may act as a pathway for persistent, bio-accumulating and toxic substances entering the food chain – are increasingly being found in the oceans and may prove to be as harmful to marine life as more obvious, larger debris such as plastic bags, according to a new report. The report – Sources, fates and effects of microplastics in the marine environment – a global assessment – has been published by the Joint Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Environmental Protection (GESAMP), a body that advises the United Nations system on the scientific aspects of marine environmental protection. “While there is a need for further assessment of the problem, the report is the first attempt, at a global scale, to identify the main sources, fate and effects of microplastics in the ocean and offers improved understanding of the scale of the problem. The assessment suggests that there needs to be a wider awareness of the potential harm that microplastics in the oceans could cause,” said Dr Stefan Micallef, Director of the IMO Marine Environment Division and Administrative Secretary of GESAMP. “Even tiny particles, such as those used in cosmetic products or abrasives, could potentially harm marine life if ingested. We need to work globally to ensure that plastics do not end up in the oceans,” Dr Micallef said. Microplastics refer to small plastic particles, less than 5 mm in diameter, but some as small as 10 nanometres. Microplastics may be purposely manufactured for particular industrial or domestic applications (such as facial cleansers), or result from the fragmentation of larger items, especially when exposed to sunlight. Microplastics have been found distributed throughout the world’s oceans, on shorelines, in surface waters and seabed sediments, from the Arctic to Antarctic. They may accumulate at remote locations such as mid-ocean gyres, as well as close to population centres, shipping routes and other major sources. The potential problems of micro-plastics in the marine environment were brought to the attention of GESAMP in 2010 and the assessment report has been developed by a working group of experts which has met regularly during the past five years. The report recommends better control of the sources of plastic waste, through applying the principles of the “3 Rs” (Reduce, Re-use, Recycle), and improving the overall management of plastics as the most efficient and cost-effective way of reducing the quantity of plastic objects and microplastic particles accumulating in the ocean. The report warns that even if all releases of plastic to the environment were to cease immediately, the number of microplastics in the ocean would be expected to continue to increase as a result of continuing fragmentation.
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Online ballast water management tools launched
Photo: UNHCR
IMO Secretary-General repeats calls to safeguard migrants
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MO Secretary-General Koji Sekimizu has reiterated his call for coordinated action to safeguard migrants, following further large-scale loss of life in the Mediterranean during the spring of 2015. While recognizing the significant contribution of the coast guards and naval forces of Italy and Malta, EU Operation Triton and the merchant shipping industry in rescuing thousands of migrants, Mr Sekimizu said: “The deaths of hundreds of migrants drowned in the Mediterranean within sight of a potential rescue ship once again highlights the need for urgent action to be taken against those unscrupulous criminals whose greed and lack of respect for human life allow them to cram hundreds of innocent, desperate people into unsuitable craft with no concern for their safety. At the same time, I call upon Governments and the wider international community to expedite their efforts to take coordinated action to safeguard migrants and to manage the flow of migrants across borders in ways that do not lead to them being exploited and taken to sea in unsafe craft.” He added, “The international maritime search and rescue system created through IMO instruments was not designed to handle the huge flows of migrants that are currently being seen in the Mediterranean. In being compelled to embark these unsafe vessels, migrants are effectively being put into extreme danger as soon as they leave shore. The fact that migrants are drowning within sight of their would-be rescuers is testament to the dangers they face and every effort should be taken to find safer, managed routes for migrants.” IMO hosted an Inter-agency, High-Level Meeting to Address Unsafe Mixed Migration by Sea at IMO Headquarters in March 2015 to facilitate dialogue and promote enhanced cooperation and harmonization between United Nations agencies, international organizations, non-governmental organizations, Governments and the shipping industry.
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A new online learning portal including a free online e-learning course on the operational aspects of ballast water management (BWM) has been launched by the GEF UNDP-IMO GloBallast Partnerships Programme and the Global Industry Alliance (GIA). The online tools have been developed by the GloBallast project, with financial support from the GIA, to assist with the wider implementation of the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments, 2004 (BWM Convention). The learning portal is accessible free of charge through registering at http:// globallastlearning.com/login/index.php. It gives access to an online resource library and to the e-learning course. It will also have the facility to host free BWM-related webinars in the near future. The e-learning course on operational aspects of BWM is based on the GloBallast advanced training course on the same topic, developed with financial support from the GIA and the IMO Integrated Technical Cooperation Programme. It is aimed
at all stakeholders who will have to deal with operational aspects of BWM, such as Port State Control officers and seafarers. The course contains four modules; Introduction, Operational Aspects, Survey and Certification, and Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement. In each module, the user will explore the issue in the context of the objective of the module, discover key facts to build on existing knowledge of BWM and finally use carefully designed hypothetical scenarios to put this new knowledge into practice. The learning portal also offers the opportunity to download the e-learning course free of charge for offline use at a later stage – for example, by seafarers who may not always have internet access on board ships. The GIA is the unique public-private sector partnership developed by the GloBallast Project with the shipping and the shipbuilding industries to assist in identifying solutions to some of the common challenges faced by the industry, including technical training and capacity building.
Online surveys on ballast water management systems launched All stakeholders involved in the testing, approval, fitting and operation of ballast water management (BWM) systems have been invited to complete online surveys, as a part of an IMO study to assess the implementation of the BWM systems approval guidelines and the performance of type-approved systeMs The study aims to provide a comprehensive review of the technical standards and approval testing procedures in the Guidelines for approval of ballast water management systems (G8), initiated by the Marine Environment Protection Committee at its 67th session in October 2014. The intention is to address concerns that the testing regime needs to be sufficiently robust and consistent, so that approved systems will meet the standards set out in the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments, 2004 (BWM Convention). The study on the implementation of
the ballast water performance standard described in regulation D-2 of the BWM Convention is fact-based and will focus on collecting, synthesizing and analyzing data and verifiable information and documentation. It involves two “tracks” to facilitate and optimize the collection of data: (1) similarities/differences in testing and certification; and (2) BWM systems operational performance. Administrations and associated agencies; test facilities, organizations and independent experts; BWMS developers, manufacturers and vendors; classification societies; ship owners and operators; flag State and port State control inspectors were invited to participate in the online surveys, which ran until 10 June 2015. The study is being carried out by the IMO Secretariat in partnership with the World Maritime University (WMU) and its outcome will be reported to MEPC 69 in spring 2016.
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IMO NEWS
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FEATURE
New building, new era for the World Maritime University
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xpanded, state-of-the-art, premises for the World Maritime University (WMU) were inaugurated on 19 May 2015 in Malmö, Sweden, by IMO Secretary-General and WMU Chancellor Koji Sekimizu. The WMU is a postgraduate maritime university founded by IMO in 1983 as a centre of excellence for maritime postgraduate education and research. At close to 6,000m2, the new facility is nearly double the size of the previous Malmö campus. It provides a new auditorium, multiple research laboratories, seminar rooms, and video-conferencing capabilities
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for hosting international conferences. An integrated information system embracing unified communications, broadcast media and information management systems for teaching, video-conferencing, research, and management is a central feature of the new site.
Dramatic additions The new premises are centred on the refurbished historic Malmö Harbour Master’s Building, with dramatic additions designed by the renowned Danish architect Kim Utzon in collaboration with Australian architect Tyrone James Cobcroft of Cobcroft Architects. Speaking at the launch of the new facility, Mr Sekimizu said, “Today, after more than three decades of increased growth and
activity, WMU has outgrown its first home in which it had welcomed its very first students, back in 1983. The new premises mark a historical milestone in the relations between Malmö and the University and will provide the forum for the University to continue growing and meeting the educational needs of the maritime sector.” Founded in 1983 by IMO, WMU offers M.Sc. and Ph.D. programs, postgraduate diplomas, and Professional Development Courses. A total of 3,293 students from 165 countries have graduated from WMU to date. Mr Sekimizu thanked all donors and supporters of the WMU, past and present, paying particular tribute to its founder, former IMO Secretary-General, Dr CP Srivastava.
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Danish architect Kim Utzon and Australian Tyrone James Cobcroft collaborated to produce the futuristic new addition to the old Harbour Master’s office in Malmö
“This innovative and indeed unique academic institution is a lasting testament to Dr Srivastava, the Founding Chancellor of this University, who worked tirelessly in collaboration with the Government of Sweden to find a home for, and to establish WMU. To this day, there is no other maritime institution that serves the world in this way, and especially the developing countries, by educating maritime leaders and high level managers of the future, and I wish to pay tribute to Dr Srivastava for his foresight and determination in founding this august institution,” Mr Sekimizu said. Mr Vladimir Ryabinin, speaking on behalf of Mr Ban, said the WMU provided education, research and capacity building for the maritime and shipping sectors, supporting students, particularly from developing countries, to boost their knowledge while experiencing the UN ideals in their daily activities: living together, studying together, and learning from each other culturally. “Let me wish the faculty and all the students – present and future – success, happiness and fulfilment in these wonderful new academic facilities, which will enable the
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World Maritime University to make an even stronger contribution in the years ahead to the welfare of society, the protection, preservation and wise management of the oceans and for the achievement of the emerging post-2015 development agenda,” Mr Ryabinin said.
Strategic directions Looking ahead, Mr Sekimizu said the University’s growth over the coming decades would be shaped by the evolving context of the shipping industry, in correlation with IMO’s technical cooperation programme, while eight new strategic directions, outlined in a study for the financial sustainability of the university, would be key to its growth. The study was approved by the WMU Governing Board on Monday (18 May) and identifies measures to strengthen WMU’s sustainability. The strategic directions are: 1. Educate and foster the growth of maritime leaders in both developing and developed countries as a core mission of WMU 2. Teach policy to future maritime leaders 3. Expand the WMU scope to include oceanrelated matters
4. Strengthen the University research function for maritime and ocean policy and related subjects 5. Explore diversified activities for generating revenues 6. Review the current arrangement with other universities and explore new ways of collaboration 7. Explore further collaboration with IMO in particular in the field of technical cooperation 8. Establish an endowment fund. Mr Sekimizu was joined at the inauguration of the new premises by Mr Yohei Sasakawa, Chairman of The Nippon Foundation; Mr Vladimir Ryabinin, Executive Secretary of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission and Assistant Director General of UNESCO, who spoke on behalf of United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon; Mr Erik Bromander, State Secretary to the Minister for Infrastructure in Sweden’s Ministry for Enterprise and Innovation; Ms Katrin Stjernfeldt-Jammeh, Chairman of the Malmö City Executive Board; Ms
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Major financial support announced for enhanced World Maritime University The Nippon Foundation, a Japanese philanthropic organization that promotes social innovation, has said it is willing to establish a US$100 million endowment fund to support expansive and innovative activities at the World Maritime University (WMU). Speaking at the inauguration of a new campus for the University, Nippon Foundation Chairman Yohei Sasakawa announced the foundation was prepared to set up a special endowment fund worth US$100 million. He said the fund would be to support the University to establish itself as “an ocean and maritime research institution engaged in multi-disciplinary scientific research in the marine field, and an educational institution that generates human resources who have the capacity to address ocean issues with a multidisciplinary approach.” The Nippon Foundation is a long-standing supporter of the WMU and Mr Sasakawa also pledged a further US$3 million per annum for ten years to continue its existing student fellowship programme and enhance the Nippon Foundation Chair. Mr Sasakawa’s pledge came following the recent decision of the WMU Board
Ida Skard, Director General, Maritime Department, Norwegian Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries who pledged, on behalf of the Norwegian Government, 4.5 million Norwegian kronor for the support of student fellowships in both 2015 and in 2016; Dr Ismail Abdel Ghaffar, President, Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport (AASTMT), who spoke on behalf of H.E. Mr Hany Dahy, Minister of Transport, Egypt and WMU President Designate Dr Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry, who takes up her position in July 2015. The City of Malmö has generously funded the infrastructure while the up-todate fittings have been provided through significant donor support. Donors include The Nippon Foundation, the China Classification Society, DNV GL Maritime, the Nakashima Propeller Co. Ltd, Hyundai Glovis, Dr Peter and Jane Muirhead, the Korean Shipowners’ Association, the Korean Registry, the Government of Germany, Shindong Digitech Co. Ltd, Dr Binali Yildirim, Paul’s Fine Art and Antiques, Nova Marine Carriers, Simsekler Group of Companies Ship Recycling and Ship Chandlers and AVS Global.
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of Governors to approve a study for the financial sustainability of the university which identified eight strategic directions that would be key to the institution’s sustainability and future growth. Mr Sasakawa voiced his support for an expanded ocean-related agenda for WMU, stating “It is my wish for WMU to keep moving forward to establish itself as an educational and research institution that can address ocean issues from not just the maritime but the greater oceanic field.” Koji Sekimizu, IMO Secretary-General and WMU Chancellor, expressed his deepest thanks to Mr Sasakawa and the Nippon Foundation for this historic pledge. “Mr Sasakawa’s vision for WMU is completely in line with the eight strategic directions recently adopted by the WMU Board of Governors. The oceans and the shipping industry, both so vital to the future of mankind, must have leaders that are very well versed in ocean policy matters and can take a global view of the oceans and shipping. WMU will provide those leaders, and the pledge made by the Nippon Foundation today is a major step forward in achieving the expansive and
Sasakawa supported an expanded agenda for WMU
innovative strategic directions adopted by the Board of Governors.” The Nippon Foundation, through the Ocean Policy Research Foundation, is the largest fellowship donor to the University, providing 22-25 new awards annually. In addition, since 1993 The Nippon Foundation has hosted a week-long field study to Japan for Sasakawa Fellowship Students and, since 2001, has regularly hosted Sasakawa Fellow gatherings. Aside from its support for students, The Nippon Foundation further supports the capacity-building mission of WMU by sponsoring three Professorial Chairs and an Assistant Professor. In addition, the Foundation provides support for numerous conferences and events connected with WMU.
Symposium recognizes key challenges ahead for WMU Following the inauguration of its new premises, the WMU hosted an international symposium on Maritime & Oceans Education and Training (MET) at its new home (19-20 May). The symposium brought together 175 participants from around the globe and provided a forum to discuss contemporary challenges for the maritime community, scenarios for the future, and optimum responses for all sectors of the industry. Recurring discussions throughout the symposium focused on the need to attract people into the maritime industry by offering a rewarding career path with life-long learning and taking into account corporate social responsibility issues in terms of
the health and well-being of people who serve on ships. Promoting the industry and increasing the public recognition of seafarers also emerged as key to making seafaring more attractive, and for the sustainability of the maritime sector, ensuring there are ample opportunities for women. Other challenges recognized included the shortage of MET professionals in MET establishments throughout the world, as well as the need to keep up with the ever-advancing technology in the industry. Suggestions for improving MET included the importance of feedback from the industry as well as investing in research. “Maritime Education and Training” is the theme for the 2015 World Maritime Day.
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IMO NEWS • ISSUE 2 • 2015
FROM THE MEETINGS
SUB-COMMITTEE ON SHIP DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION (SDC) • 2ND SESSION • 16–20 FEBRUARY 2015
Revised subdivision and stability amendments agreed Proposed amendments to SOLAS chapter II-1 on subdivision and damage stability were agreed by the Sub-Committee, for submission to the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC), with a view to approval by MSC 95 and subsequent adoption. The focus of the current revision is to revise and update subdivision and damage stability regulations, in view of experience gained with the harmonized probabilistic concept for cargo and passenger ships which entered into force in 2009. The harmonized SOLAS regulations on subdivision and damage stability, as contained in SOLAS chapter II-1, are based on a probabilistic concept, which uses the probability of survival after collision as a measure of ships’ safety in a damaged condition. The current revision of the regulations has taken into account a number of recent studies, such as the EU-funded GOAL based Damage Stability project (GOALDS), FLOODSTAND and EMSA 2. Work on the revision of the required subdivision index “R” for new passenger ships, taking into account the number of people on board a ship, will continue at SDC 3, in January 2016, in view of the need for further input from the validation of the results of the EUfunded EMSA 3 project. The required subdivision index “R” is a formula used to determine the probability of survival of a ship.
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The revised damage stability regulations draw on several recent studies
Watertight doors on passenger ships – SOLAS amendment agreed The Sub-Committee agreed draft amendments to SOLAS regulation II 1/22, to clarify when watertight doors may be opened during a voyage, for submission to MSC 95 for approval and subsequent adoption. The proposed amendments would delete the current SOLAS Regulation II-1/22.4, which allows for certain watertight doors to remain open during navigation only if considered absolutely necessary, including if “being open is determined essential to the safe and effective operation of the ship’s machinery”; or “to permit passengers normally unrestricted access throughout the passenger area”. The amended regulation would still permit a watertight door to be opened during navigation to permit the passage of passengers or crew, or when work in the immediate vicinity of the door
necessitates it being opened. The door must be immediately closed when transit through the door is complete or when the task which necessitated it being open is finished. The Sub-Committee also agreed to the draft MSC circular on revised Guidance for watertight doors on passenger ships which may be opened during navigation, for submission to MSC 95 for approval. The guidance includes appendices, containing: procedure for the determination of the impact of open watertight doors on passenger ship survivability (floatability assessment); technical standards for watertight doors on passenger ships; flowchart on guidance for permitting watertight doors on passenger ships to remain open during navigation; and illustration of application of the floatability assessment under hazardous conditions in the guidance.
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IMO NEWS
FROM THE MEETINGS
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2015
SUB-COMMITTEE ON SHIP DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION (SDC) • 2ND SESSION • 16–20 FEBRUARY 2015
Draft SOLAS amendments will require evacuation analysis for all passenger ships
Mandatory passenger evacuation analysis Taking into account the recommendations from the investigation into the Costa Concordia incident, the Sub-Committee agreed draft amendments to SOLAS regulation II-2/13 – Means of escape to extend the requirements for evacuation analysis to all passenger ships, not just ro-ro passenger ships. The amendments would require escape routes to be evaluated by an evacuation analysis early in the design process, applicable to ro-ro passenger ships other passenger ships carrying more than 36 passengers. The analysis would be used to identify and eliminate, as far as practicable, congestion which may develop during an abandonment, due to normal movement of passengers and crew along escape routes, including the possibility that crew may need to move along these routes in a direction opposite to the movement of passengers. In addition, the analysis would be used to demonstrate that escape arrangements are sufficiently flexible to provide for the possibility that certain escape routes, assembly stations, embarkation stations or survival craft may not be
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available as a result of a casualty. The draft amendments to SOLAS regulation II-2/13 will be submitted to MSC 95 for approval and subsequent adoption. In order to further develop guidelines relating to evacuation analysis, the Sub-Committee established an evacuation analysis correspondence group to prepare draft amendments to the current Guidelines for evacuation analysis for new and existing passenger ships (MSC.1/Circ.1238), in order to address mandatory application of evacuation analysis to passenger ships including a review of the defined scenarios; to consider including in the guidelines the need for operational procedures that support evacuation, as well as considering the results of the evacuation analysis to identify operational requirements during an evacuation; to discuss and if deemed necessary prepare specific requirements for evacuation of open deck areas; and to identify and consider additional evacuation scenarios together with the necessary requirements to be included in the draft amendments.
Amendments to plastic pipe guidelines The Sub-Committee agreed draft amendments to the Guidelines for the application of plastic pipes in ships (resolution A.753(18)), as amended by resolution MSC.313(88), for submission to MSC 95 for adoption. The draft amendments update provisions relating to fire protection and containment, in order to take into account technological developments and maintain the highest practical level of safety.
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IMO NEWS
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2015
FROM THE MEETINGS
SUB-COMMITTEE ON SHIP DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION (SDC) • 2ND SESSION • 16–20 FEBRUARY 2015
Definition of industrial personnel The Sub-Committee agreed a definition of “industrial personnel”, for inclusion in a draft MSC circular, to be submitted to MSC 95 for approval. The aim in developing the definition is to assist Member Governments such that they may develop and implement regulations for the safe carriage of industrial personnel on board offshore industry vessels engaged on international voyages. This provides a short-term solution in recognition of the urgent need for its use by the evolving offshore energy sector. It was agreed that “Industrial personnel means all persons who are not passengers or members of the crew or children of under one year of age, and: are transported or accommodated on board for the purpose of offshore industrial activities; are able-bodied and meet appropriate medical standards; have received basic safety training, according to relevant industry standards; have a fair knowledge of the layout of the ship and the
Industrial personnel are formally defined in a new draft MSC circular
handling of the ship’s safety equipment before departure from port (e.g. through a safety briefing); and are equipped with appropriate personal safety equipment suitable for the risks to safety such personnel are likely to experience on the forthcoming voyage (e.g. immersion suits).” Meanwhile, the Sub-Committee reestablished a correspondence group to
Stability code – draft amendments The Sub-Committee agreed draft amendments to part B of the International Code on Intact Stability, 2008 (2008 IS Code) regarding vessels engaged in anchor-handling operations for submission to MSC 95 for approval. The Sub-Committee also agreed, in principle, to draft amendments to update the 2008 IS Code, including those related to vulnerability criteria and the standards (levels 1 and 2) related to parametric roll, pure loss of stability and surf-riding / broaching; and to ice accretion in timber deck cargo. A correspondence group was established to finalize the draft text of the remaining amendments to the 2008 IS Code, regarding vulnerability criteria and standards (levels 1 and 2) related to dead-ship condition and excessive accelerations and to prepare a draft text of the Explanatory Notes for vulnerability criteria as well as the “direct stability assessment and operational guideline”. The correspondence group was also tasked with further proposed amendments to part B of the 2008 IS Code concerning towing and lifting operations and to report to the next session (SDC 3).
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finalize draft Guidelines for offshore service craft (OSC) used in windfarm service; further develop with a view towards finalizing the draft Guidelines for offshore construction vessels (OCV) used in windfarm service; further consider the application of the OSC and OCV guidelines to non Convention ships, and other vessels for the offshore energy industry; and report to SDC 3 in 2016.
Interim Guidelines for Fibre Reinforced Plastic The Sub-Committee agreed draft Interim Guidelines for use of Fibre Reinforced Plastic (FRP) for elements within ship structures, intended to facilitate the safe use of FRP composites in shipbuilding, taking into account the material’s particularities. FRP composite is a lightweight material composition with a high strength-to-weight ratio and corrosion resistance compared to steel. The fact that FRP composite is combustible makes fire safety a key issue when considering ship structures in this material. The comprehensive interim guidelines are aimed at Member Governments, who are invited to apply them when approving alternative designs and
arrangements for FRP elements in ship structures in accordance with SOLAS regulation II2/17 (Alternative design and arrangements). The interim guidelines are intended to ensure that a consistent approach is taken with regard to standards of fire safety of ships making use of FRP elements in their structures and that the level of fire safety afforded by the provisions of SOLAS chapter II-2 is maintained.
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PPR
FROM THE MEETINGS
IMO NEWS
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ISSUE 2
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2015
SUB-COMMITTEE ON NAVIGATION, COMMUNICATIONS AND SEARCH & RESCUE (NCSR) • 2ND SESSION • 9–13 MARCH 2015
Measures agreed to protect sensitive sea areas
Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is to be further safeguarded by new protective measures
Performance standards for multi-system navigation receivers endorsed Draft performance standards for multi-system shipborne navigation systems were approved, for adoption by MSC 95. The performance standards aim to address the combined use of current and future radionavigation as well as augmentation systems for the provision of position, velocity and time data within the maritime navigation system. The minimum specifications are for multi-system shipborne navigation receivers, which use navigation signals from two or more Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), with or without augmentation, providing improved position, velocity and time data. An improved resistance to intentional and unintentional radio frequency interference is achieved when two or more independent or frequency diverse radionavigation systems are used. Such a combined approach also provides redundancy to mitigate the loss of a single system. The need to develop associated guidelines for position, navigation and time (PNT) data and integrity information was recognized, and the Sub-Committee requested MSC 95 to authorize further work to develop guidelines associated with multi-system shipborne radionavigation receivers dealing with the harmonized provision of PNT data and integrity information, to be finalized in 2017.
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New ships’ routeing measures aimed at protecting sensitive areas in the south-west Coral Sea off Australia, linked to a proposed extension of the Great Barrier Reef and Torres Strait Particularly Sensitive Sea Area (PSSA), have been agreed by the Sub-Committee on Navigation, Communications and Search and Rescue. The measures are an “area to be avoided” (ABTA) and two new five nautical mile wide two-way routes, on either side of the area to be avoided. The recommendatory ABTA in the south-west Coral Sea, twoway shipping route in Diamond Passage and two-way route west of Holmes Reef aim to reduce the risk of ship collisions and groundings by separating opposing traffic streams, whilst ensuring ships keep clear of reefs, shoals and islets in the sensitive marine environment of Australia’s Coral Sea Commonwealth Marine Reserve. The proposed measures will be submitted to the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC 95) in June for adoption. Australia submitted the proposals as “Associated Protective Measures”, linked to a proposal to extend the Great Barrier Reef and Torres Strait PSSA eastwards, to parts of the Coral Sea. The Sub-Committee also approved the establishment of five recommendatory ATBAs in the region of the Alaska Aleutian Islands, for vessels making transoceanic voyages through the Bering Sea and North Pacific Ocean adjacent to the islands, proposed by United States. The proposed ships’ routeing measures were submitted to MSC 95 for adoption.
E-navigation guidance endorsed The Sub-Committee endorsed the draft MSC circular on Guideline on Software Quality Assurance and Human Centred Design for e-navigation, with a view to approval by the MSC. The guideline encourages a disciplined and structured approach in the development and management of e-navigation systems, with particular focus on Software Quality Assurance and Human Centred Design that includes Usability Testing. This guideline is intended to be used by all stakeholders involved in the design and development of e-navigation systems, with its primary users being those who develop and test e-navigation systems.
Amendments to the IAMSAR Manual agreed The Sub-Committee agreed draft revisions to Volumes I, II and III of the International Aeronautical and Maritime Search and Rescue (IAMSAR) Manual, to be included in the 2016 edition, for approval by the MSC. The draft amendments include various updates, including joint training for On Scene Coordinator and Aircraft Coordinator; new subsections on “Area of SAR action” and “SAR refuelling facilities”; and reference to use of social media.
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INTERNATIONAL MARITIME ORGANIZATION
A Joint WMU - IMO - Arctic Council International Conference on
Safe and Sustainable Shipping in a Changing Arctic Environment
ShipArc 2015 25-27 August 2015 Malmö, Sweden I TL E I
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ShipArc 2015 The pace of development in the Arctic marine environment is challenging our capacity to prepare for it in a safe and sustainable way. ShipArc 2015 is bringing together stakeholders engaged in resource development, shipping, and sustainable management to discuss a forward-looking regulatory, governance, research, and capacity-building agenda that will assist in achieving Safe and Sustainable Shipping in the Arctic. Themes • • • • • •
The Polar Code: Implementation & Compliance Assurance Beyond the Polar Code Arctic Governance Sustainable Arctic Business Development Protection of the Arctic Marine Environment Training, Capacity-Building, Science & Research
Keynote Speakers include: Mr. Koji Sekimizu Secretary-General International Maritime Organization
Dr. Lawson W. Brigham Professor of Geography & Arctic Policy University of Alaska Fairbanks
To register visit wmu.se/shiparc2015
wmu.se/shiparc2015
Dr. David Carlson Director World Climate Research Programme
IMO NEWS
SSE
FROM THE MEETINGS
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ISSUE 2
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2015
SUB-COMMITTEE ON SHIP SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT (SSE) • 2ND SESSION • 23–27 MARCH 2015
Revised requirements for automatic sprinkler systems
Upgraded firefighting provisions for helicopter landing areas were agreed
The Sub-Committee agreed draft amendments to the Revised guidelines for the maintenance and inspection of fire protection systems and appliances (to update MSC.1/Circ.1432), including a new provision for water quality testing for automatic sprinkler systems and new flow charts for the testing and replacement of sprinkler heads and water mist nozzles. The draft amendments will be forwarded to MSC 95 for approval. A related draft amendment to chapter 8 of the FSS Code was agreed, to add a new requirement for special attention to be paid to the specification of water quality provided by the system manufacturer, to prevent internal corrosion and clogging of sprinklers.
Helicopter facility fire-fighting requirements agreed New requirements for new ships with helicopter landing facilities to be provided with foam applications systems were agreed by the Sub-Committee, for submission to MSC 95 for approval and subsequent adoption. The draft amendment to SOLAS regulation II-2/18 adds a new paragraph 2.3 to require a foam application system complying with the provisions of a new chapter 17 of the Fire Safety Systems (FSS) Code, which was also agreed by the Sub-Committee. A similar draft amendment to the Code for the construction and equipment of mobile offshore drilling units (MODU Code) was also agreed. The new draft chapter 17 of the FSS Code details the specifications for foam firefighting appliances for the protection of helicopter facilities, as required by SOLAS chapter II-2. The requirements are given for helidecks and helicopter landing areas. For a helideck (defined as a purpose-built helicopter landing platform or other deck area including all structure, firefighting appliances and other equipment necessary for the safe operation of helicopters), the foam system is required to contain at least two fixed foam monitors
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or deck integrated foam nozzles, operating at a specified minimum discharge rate. In addition, at least two hose reels fitted with a foam-making branch pipe and non-collapsible hose sufficient to reach any part of the helideck shall be provided. For a helicopter landing area (an area on a ship designated for occasional or emergency landing of helicopter and not designed for routine helicopter operations), at least two portable foam applicators or two hose reel foam stations are to be provided, each capable of discharging a minimum foam solution discharge rate, according to the helicopter’s overall length. The Sub-Committee also agreed a draft MSC circular on Early implementation of the new chapter 17 of the FSS Code, which encourages all Parties to implement the draft new chapter 17 of the FSS Code at the earliest possible opportunity. Related draft amendments to update the amendments to the Recommendation on Helicopter landing areas on ro-ro passenger ships (MSC/Circ.895) were also agreed, to refer to the installation of a foam application system complying with the FSS Code provisions.
Smoke management requirements agreed The Sub-Committee finalized draft Performance standards, functional requirements and system requirements for the assessment of smoke management systems, for submission to MSC 95 for approval. The draft performance standards and requirements would apply to smoke management systems installed on new passenger ships. The systems should be designed to ensure escape routes are sufficiently smoke free in case of fire.
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IMO NEWS
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FROM THE MEETINGS
SUB-COMMITTEE ON SHIP SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT (SSE) • 2ND SESSION • 23–27 MARCH 2015
Onboard lifting appliances and winches The Sub-Committee unanimously agreed that more robust guidelines for the safety of onboard lifting appliances and winches should be developed and, referring to the decision of MSC 89 that the Committee’s approval should be sought before undertaking any technical work, invited MSC 95 to endorse the SubCommittee’s decision and decide on whether mandatory SOLAS requirements should be prepared in addition to the development of guidelines. The Sub-Committee also requested MSC 95 to consider the re-establishment of the Correspondence Group for Onboard Lifting Appliances and Winches, to progress the work intersessionally, with a view to reporting to SSE 3.
Progress made on goal -based approach for SOLAS chapter II-2 The Sub-Committee furthered its work on developing a goalbased approach to standards and in the development of a new framework of requirements for safety objectives and functional requirements for the approval of alternative design and arrangements for fire safety and life-saving appliances. The Sub-Committee further developed draft guidelines for the selection of life safety performance criteria, which are intended to provide a methodology for the selection of performance criteria used to address the survivability of persons on board when exposed to the effects of heat, smoke, toxicity and reduced visibility. The guidelines would be intended for use to establish minimum safety margins in the available time for safe escape from spaces approved with alternative design and arrangements. A correspondence group was established to: further develop the life safety performance criteria for alternative design and arrangements for fire safety, taking into account the required level of safety for SOLAS chapter II-2 compliant prescriptive designs; consider the method for evaluating the Available Safe Egress Time (ASET), and choose an appropriate type of method to determine this time limit (e.g. using a proposed smoke layer height approach or a different method such as the time required to maintain tenability within the affected space); define the life safety performance criteria against which the ASET will be measured; and submit a report to SSE 3.
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Maintenance and testing of lifeboats The Sub-Committee further discussed a proposed package of mandatory measures intended to address servicing and maintenance of lifeboats and rescue boats, launching appliances and release gear, in order to minimize the number of accidents involving lifeboats and rescue boats. The Sub-Committee agreed the title of a draft MSC resolution should be Requirements for maintenance, thorough examination, operational testing, overhaul and repair of lifeboats and rescue boats, launching appliances and release gear. Discussions centred on the role of the authorized service provider and certified personnel. The Sub-Committee was unable to reach agreement on the proposal to allow “certified personnel” to carry out annual examinations and five-year operational tests. In this connection, the Sub-Committee agreed to request MSC 95 to give clear instructions on the issue.
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IMO NEWS
FROM THE MEETINGS
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2015
LEGAL COMMITTEE • 102ND SESSION • 14–16 APRIL 2015
Fair treatment of seafarers is a key issue and the Legal Committee supported rapid implementation of the guidelines
Implementation of guidelines on ‘fair treatment’ encouraged The Committee encouraged Member States, that had not yet done so, to give effect to the 2006 Guidelines on fair treatment of seafarers in the event of a maritime accident, adopted jointly by IMO and the International Labour Organization (ILO). The Committee was informed of the analysis of replies from Member States to the survey circulated by Seafarers’ Rights International (SRI) on behalf of the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) and the International Federation of Shipmasters’ Associations (IFSMA) concerning the 2006 Guidelines. The survey of replies analysed 45 responses, representing 26% of the Member States of IMO. Of those, 13 Member States (29% of the respondents), representing a wide range of different legal systems, stated
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that their existing laws already adequately protect the human and other legal rights of seafarers contained in the Guidelines and that, therefore, there was no need for the Guidelines to be passed into their existing laws. Seventeen Member States (38% of the respondents) have passed the Guidelines, either in whole or in part, into their national laws, either explicitly or implicitly. Fifteen Member States (33% of the respondents) requested assistance in the form of information regarding the meaning of the Guidelines and/or model legislation by the IMO for the purpose of giving effect to the Guidelines. The Committee concluded that further consideration was needed regarding the progressive removal of legislation targeting seafarers and imposing criminal sanctions
on them. It was also highlighted that seafarers should be given greater training and awareness of their rights. The Committee supported the speedy implementation of the guidelines and noted with gratitude the willingness of the shipping industry bodies to contribute financially towards work to support the wide implementation of the guidelines. The view was expressed that IMO’s technical cooperation programme could be used to support implementation while a number of States informed the Committee that they were ready to share their national legislation giving effect to the guidelines.
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IMO NEWS
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2015
FROM THE MEETINGS
LEGAL COMMITTEE • 102ND SESSION • 14–16 APRIL 2015
Committee to review legal regime for migration at sea The Committee considered the issue of unsafe mixed migration by sea, following the inter-agency, high-level meeting to address the issue, hosted by IMO on 4-5 March 2015. An intersessional discussion on the study of the current legal regime and gaps that needed to be addressed in order to remedy the drastic situation concerning migrants at sea is to be coordinated by Malta and Italy, with the support of Denmark. During discussion on the issue, the views expressed included the following: • the issue of mixed migration was a global problem and
search and rescue systems maintained by the shipping community were not designed for rescuing hundreds of thousands of people drifting on small, unseaworthy boats left in shipping lanes; • the Legal Committee should review the international legal regime dealing with the complex issue of migration by sea and identify gaps that needed to be addressed; • the issue should also be referred to the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC), Facilitation Committee (FAL) and the Council as a matter of priority.
A review of the legal system surrounding migration by sea will be vital if a long-term solution is to be found
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Promotion of the 2010 HNS Convention The Committee encouraged Member States to ratify and bring into force, as soon as possible, the International Convention on Liability and Compensation for Damage in Connection with the Carriage of Hazardous and Noxious Substances by Sea, 2010 (2010 HNS Convention), which, to date, has received no ratification. The 2010 HNS Convention would fill the remaining gap in the global liability and compensation regime for international shipping. The work of the HNS Correspondence Group and the IOPC Funds to support implementation was welcomed, in particular, the creation of the HNS Protocol Blog (http://hnsprotocol. wordpress.com/) as a forum for States and observer delegations to exchange ideas, best practices and collaborate on solutions to promote the Convention and facilitate its entry into force. The HNS Correspondence Group was formally reestablished, with a mandate to continue its work as a forum for exchange of information and to provide guidance and assistance on issues regarding the implementation and operation of the Convention. The Group was also asked to develop a user guide to the 2010 HNS Convention (“Understanding the HNS Convention”); HNS scenarios; and a draft resolution on implementation and entry into force of the 2010 HNS Convention.
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MEPC
IMO NEWS
FROM THE MEETINGS
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2015
MARINE ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION COMMITTEE (MEPC) • 68TH SESSION • 11–15 MAY 2015
Data collection system for ships’ energy efficiency
A primary purpose of a data collection system would be to help analyse vessel efficiency
The MEPC agreed text to be further developed as the full language for the proposed data collection system for fuel consumption of ships, which could be readily used for voluntary or mandatory application of the system. The Committee noted that a purpose of the data collection system was to analyse energy efficiency and for this analysis to be effective some transport work data needs to be included, but at this stage the appropriate parameters have not been identified. The proposed text refers to ships of 5,000 GT and above collecting data, to include the ship identification number, technical characteristics, total annual fuel consumption by fuel type and in metric tons and transport work and/or proxy data yet to be defined. The methodology for collecting the data would be outlined in the ship-specific Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP). Data would be aggregated into an annual figure and reported by the shipowner/operator to the Administration (flag State) which would submit the data to IMO for inclusion in a database. Access to the database would be restricted to Member States only and data provided to Member States would be anonymized to the extent that the identification of a specific ship would not be possible. The MEPC agreed to recommend to the IMO Council that an intersessional working group be held to: further consider transport work and/or proxies for inclusion in the data collection system; further consider the issue of confidentiality; consider the development of guidelines identified in the text; and to submit a report to MEPC 69.
Further development of energy-efficiency guidelines for ships Propulsive power in adverse weather is crucial for vessel safety
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The MEPC continued its work on further developing guidelines to assist in the implementation of the mandatory energy-efficiency regulations for international shipping and: • adopted amendments to update the 2014 Guidelines on survey and certification of the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) and endorsed their application from 1 September 2015, at the same time encouraging earlier application; • adopted amendments to the 2013 Interim Guidelines for determining minimum propulsion power to maintain the manoeuvrability of ships in adverse conditions, for the level - 1 minimum power lines
assessment for bulk carriers and tankers, and agreed on a phase-in period of six months for the application of the amendments; and • adopted amendments to update the 2014 Guidelines on the method of calculation of the attained EEDI for new ships. The Committee considered a progress report from the correspondence group established to review the status of technological developments relevant to implementing phase 2 of the EEDI regulations, as required under regulation 21.6 of MARPOL Annex VI and re-established the correspondence group to further the work and submit an interim report to MEPC 69.
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FROM THE MEETINGS
MARINE ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION COMMITTEE (MEPC) • 68TH SESSION • 11–15 MAY 2015
Ballast water management – implementation roadmap agreed
Oil spill response guidance approved The MEPC approved two sets of guidelines to assist in oil spill response, developed by the Sub-Committee on Pollution Prevention and Response (PPR): 1. Guidelines on international offers of assistance in response to a marine oil pollution incident – intended as a tool to assist in managing requests for spill response resources and offers for assistance from other countries and organizations when confronted with large, complex or significant oil spill incidents.
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2. Guidelines for the use of dispersants for combating oil pollution at sea - Part III (Operational and technical sheets for surface application of dispersants). Parts I (Basic information) and II (National policy) of the IMO Dispersant Guidelines have already been approved and will be published together with Part III. Part IV, covering sub-sea dispersant application, is under development and will take into account the experience gained from the Deepwater Horizon incident as well as other related technical developments.
The MEPC reviewed the status of the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments (BWM Convention), 2004. It followed up the resolution on Measures to be taken to facilitate entry into force of the BWM Convention adopted by MEPC 67, including the agreed review of the Guidelines for approval of ballast water management systems (G8), and considered the interim report of the Correspondence Group on the review of the Guidelines. The Correspondence Group was re-established to continue working on the review. A “Roadmap for the implementation of the BWM Convention” was agreed, which emphasises that early movers, i.e. ships which install ballast water management systems approved in accordance with the current Guidelines (G8), should not be penalized. The Roadmap invites the Committee to develop guidance on contingency measures and to expand the trial period associated with the Guidance on ballast water sampling and analysis (BWM.2/Circ.42) into an experience building phase. The Committee developed draft amendments to regulation B-3 of the BWM Convention to reflect Assembly resolution A.1088(28) on application of the Convention, with a view to approval at MEPC 69 and consideration for adoption once the treaty enters into force. The draft amendments will provide an appropriate timeline for ships to comply with the ballast water performance standard prescribed in regulation D-2 of the Convention. The Committee received a progress report on a study, initiated by MEPC 67, on the implementation of the ballast water performance standard described in regulation D-2 of the BWM Convention. The study is being executed by the IMO Secretariat in partnership with the World Maritime University (WMU), and included an online survey. The final study report will be submitted to MEPC 69, scheduled for April 2016. Further ballast water management systems that make use of active substances were granted Basic Approval (five systems) and Final Approval (one system), following consideration of the reports of the 30th and 31st meetings of the Joint Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Environment Protection (GESAMP) Ballast Water Working Group.
A “roadmap” for implementing the BWM Convention was agreed
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IMO NEWS
FROM THE MEETINGS
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MARINE ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION COMMITTEE (MEPC) • 68TH SESSION • 11–15 MAY 2015
Fuel oil availability review to be initiated this year
Revised air pollution guidance and requirements agreed The MEPC considered a number of amendments and revisions to existing guidance and requirements related to air pollution measures, and in particular: • adopted amendments to the 2009 Guidelines for exhaust-gas cleaning systems (resolution MEPC.184(59)). The amendments relate to certain aspects of emission testing, regarding measurements of carbon dioxide (CO2) and sulphur dioxide (SO2), clarification of the washwater discharge pH limit testing criteria and the inclusion of a calculation-based methodology for verification as an alternative to the use of actual measurements; • approved, for adoption at MEPC 69, draft amendments to the NOX Technical Code 2008 to facilitate the testing of gas-fuelled engines and dual fuel engines for NOX Tier III strategy; • approved, for adoption at MEPC 69, draft amendments to MARPOL Annex VI regarding record requirements for operational compliance with NOX Tier III emission control areas; • approved Guidance on the application of regulation 13 of MARPOL Annex VI Tier III requirements to dual fuel and gas-fuelled engines; and • adopted amendments to the 2011 Guidelines addressing additional aspects to the NOX Technical Code 2008 with regard to particular requirements related to marine diesel engines fitted with Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) Systems (resolution MEPC.198(62)). The Committee also agreed, for consistency and safety reasons, to proceed with the development of guidelines for the sampling and verification of fuel oil used on board ships.
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The MEPC agreed terms of reference for the review, required under regulation 14 (Sulphur Oxides (SOX) and Particulate Matter) of MARPOL Annex VI, of the availability of compliant fuel oil to meet the global requirements that the sulphur content of fuel oil used on board ships shall not exceed 0.50% m/m on and after 1 January 2020. The IMO Secretariat was requested to initiate the review by 1 September 2015, with a view to the final report of the fuel oil availability review being submitted to MEPC 70 (autumn 2016). A Steering Committee consisting of 13 Member States, one intergovernmental organisation and six international non-governmental organizations was established to oversee the review. The sulphur content (expressed in terms of % m/m – that is, by weight)
of fuel oil used on board ships is required to be a maximum of 3.50% m/m (outside an Emission Control Area (ECA)), falling to 0.50% m/m on and after 1 January 2020. Depending on the outcome of the review, this requirement could be deferred to 1 January 2025. Within ECAs, fuel oil sulphur content must be no more than 0.10% m/m. The MEPC considered the report of the correspondence group established to consider possible quality control measures prior to fuel oil being delivered to a ship. The correspondence group was re-established to: further develop draft guidance on best practice for assuring the quality of fuel oil delivered for use on board ships; further examine the adequacy of the current legal framework in MARPOL Annex VI for assuring the quality of fuel oil for use on board ships; and submit a report to MEPC 69.
Extended protection for Great Barrier Reef and Torres Strait
Polar Code environmental requirements adopted
The MEPC adopted a resolution to extend the eastern limit of the current Great Barrier Reef and Torres Strait Particularly Sensitive Sea Area (PSSA) to encompass the south-west part of the Coral Sea, part of Australia’s Coral Sea Commonwealth Marine Reserve (CMR), a remote ocean ecosystem which provides refuge for a wide range of threatened, migratory and commercially valuable species. Proposed associated protective measures in the form of new shipping routes and an area to be avoided, aimed at reducing the risk of ship collisions and groundings by separating opposing traffic streams, whilst ensuring ships keep clear of reefs, shoals and islets, have already been agreed by IMO’s Sub-Committee on Navigation, Communications and Search and Rescue (NCSR) in March and submitted to MSC 95 in June for adoption.
The MEPC adopted the environmental requirements of the International Code for ships operating in polar waters (Polar Code), and the associated MARPOL amendments to make the Code mandatory, following the adoption of the safety part of the Code by the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) in November 2014. The Polar Code is expected to enter into force on 1 January 2017.
MARPOL Annex I amendments relating to oil residues adopted The MEPC adopted amendments to regulation 12 of MARPOL Annex I, concerning tanks for oil residues (sludge). The amendments update and revise the regulation, expanding on the requirements for discharge connections and piping to ensure oil residues are properly disposed of.
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IMO NEWS
IMO AT WORK
Discussing maritime migrant flows The issue of migrants at sea, including maritime migrant flows in the Mediterranean, Southeast Asia, off Australia and in the Caribbean, was on the agenda at a panel discussion featuring IMO’s Frederick Kenney and the Hellenic Coast Guard, in Rhodes, Greece (27 May). Mr Kenney discussed IMO’s recent and current challenges at the event, which was sponsored by the Athena Institute of Rhodes and the Rhodes Law of the Sea “Summer Abroad Program” of Tulane University Law School.
Workshops boost marine environment protection IMO experts have run two regional workshops dealing with the implementation of the London Protocol and Particularly Sensitive Sea Areas (PSSAs) respectively, hosted by the Regional Organization for the Conservation of Environment of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden (PERSGA) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (24-28 May). The PERSGA region is an important shipping route, known for its unique and diverse ecosystem and is therefore under threat by various forms of pollution. The main objective of the London Protocol workshop was to sensitize relevant authorities to the implications of ratifying, implementing and enforcing the Protocol, with special emphasis on protecting ports and the environment. The PSSA workshop was focussed on enhancing awareness about PSSAs; identifying the current status of protected areas and maritime shipping activities within PERSGA countries and discussing and agreeing on areas which might be considered PSSA candidates. IMO was represented by Edward Kleverlaan and Fredrik Haag from its Marine Environment Division.
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World Maritime Rescue Congress meets The World Maritime Rescue Congress (WMRC) took place in Bremerhaven, Germany (1-4 June). Held every four years, the WMRC has particular resonance this year: migration by sea and mass rescue operations both feature on the agenda. More than 300 delegates from maritime rescue organizations throughout the world attended. IMO was represented by Christine Edwards, from its Technical Cooperation Division.
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IMO at Bonn climate change talks IMO’s work to mitigate climate change through mandatory energy efficiency requirements for international shipping has been outlined during the Bonn UN Climate Change Conference (1-11 June), where 190 countries met to work on the text of the Paris 2015 universal climate agreement. IMO’s Astrid Dispert presented IMO’s ongoing work to the 42nd session of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA 42) under Agenda item 8(c)”Emissions from fuel used for international aviation and maritime transport”.
MEPC outcomes presented The key outcomes of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) 68th session in relation to fuel oil, emissions and energy-efficiency measures were outlined by IMO’s Edmund Hughes to participants at the Platts 6th Annual European Bunker Fuel Conference, Rotterdam, The Netherlands (21-22 May).
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Responding to trans-boundary marine incidents IMO’s Colleen O’Hagan emphasized the importance of widespread ratification of international conventions relating to marine pollution at a workshop on trans-boundary maritime environmental pollution, in Brisbane, Australia (20-22 May). The course, aimed at technical and policy officials from ASEAN countries with operational and policy responsibility for maritime pollution, was part of an initiative by the Expanded ASEAN Maritime Forum (EAMF) on ASEAN Seafarers’ Training (EAST). Ratification of the International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Cooperation (OPRC) was one of the treaties highlighted at the event.
Treaty-making process explained IMO’s Dorota Lost-Sieminksa, Head of the Legal Affairs Office, gave a presentation on the IMO treaty-making process to the Royal Institution of Naval Architects, London Branch (7 May). The presentation included analysis of the amendments procedure and role of the statutory organs of IMO, specifically, the Assembly, Council and five Committees and outlined how every treaty adopted may assign different duties to the relevant Committees.
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IMO AT WORK
United for wildlife IMO’s Chris Trelawny was at the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) headquarters in Gland, Switzerland to participate in the second meeting (18 May) of the United for Wildlife task force, which is working with the transport industry to examine the sector’s ability to understand and break the chain between suppliers and consumers of illegal wildlife products. IMO partnered with the World Customs Organization (WCO) to give a presentation on the IMO/ WCO framework for risk assessment in the context of security threats, and to consider ways in which the experience gained from IMO’s maritime security and counter-piracy strategies could be applied to the suppression of the illegal wildlife trade.
Boosting maritime domain awareness A three-day high-level regional workshop on mechanisms for promoting maritime domain awareness in the West Indian Ocean took place in Dar es Salaam, United Republic of Tanzania (18-20 May), with participants from Comoros, Djibouti, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, South Africa, Somalia and Sudan and participating organizations. The workshop was jointly organized by IMO, U.S Naval Forces Africa (NAVAF), East African Standby Force (EASF), Nordic Advisory and Coordination Staff (NACS) and European Union Naval Forces Somalia (EUNAVFOR), under the auspices of the Djibouti Regional Training Centre (DRTC). The workshop aimed to identify and address gaps in existing maritime domain awareness. It was followed by a two-day maritime domain awareness training session.
Spreading knowledge on climate change IMO has joined the United Nations One UN Climate Change Learning Partnership (UN CC:Learn), a partnership of more than 30 UN organisations that have an interest in climate change learning. The CC:Learn e-Learning platform provides quality, freely available e-learning resources on climate change. Each course builds on the expertise of relevant UN partners.
Africa flag state workshop begins A five-day regional workshop (18-22 May) on flag State implementation was held in Accra, Ghana, with participants from Capo Verde, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Nigeria, Sao Tome and Principe and Sierra Leone. Participants were guided through various aspects of flag State implementation, with a view to preparing countries for the forthcoming IMO mandatory Member State Audit Scheme. The workshop was hosted by the Ghana Maritime Authority, as part of the ongoing EU/ACP programme to support the enhancement of human and institutional maritime capacities in west and central Africa. IMO’s William Azuh, Head, Africa Anglophone Section, Technical Cooperation Division and Mr Dallas Laryea, IMO Regional Coordinator based in Accra, facilitated the workshop.
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IMO NEWS
IMO AT WORK
IMO/ICAO meet on helideck rules
Goal-based standards audit Team leaders from the five audit teams set up to verify rules of construction of recognized organizations, for oil tankers and bulk carriers, met at IMO (7-8 May) to discuss the finalization of harmonized reports, for submission to the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC 96) in May 2016. Once approved, the groundwork will be laid for new oil tankers and bulk carriers to be constructed according to the goal based standards, which are mandatory under SOLAS for oil tankers and bulk carriers constructed after 1 July 2016.
Casualty investigation training in Myanmar Maritime casualty investigation, a key responsibility for flag and coastal States under various multilateral International treaties including UNCLOS, SOLAS and MARPOL, was the focus for an in-depth national training course on marine accident and incident investigation in Yangon, Myanmar (4-15 May). The two-week training course was based on IMO Model Course 3.11 (Marine Accident and Incident Investigation) and aimed to ensure the consistent application of the Code of International Standards and Recommended Practices for a Safety Investigation into a Marine Casualty or Marine Incident (Casualty Investigation Code), in order to establish the root cause of an accident with a view to introducing measures to stop such an accident happening again.
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Representatives from IMO and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) met informally to discuss a way forward for the harmonization of requirements for helidecks, helicopter landing areas and winching areas. Dr Susumu Ota, Chairman of IMO’s SubCommittee on Ship Systems and Equipment (SSE) held a meeting (12 May) with Mr Kevin Payne, rapporteur of the offshore sub-group of the ICAO Heliport Design Working Group (HDWG) of the Aerodromes Design and Operations Panel (ADOP), at IMO Headquarters in London.
Implementing conventions in Timor-Leste A workshop and technical mission was held in Dili, TimorLeste (12-14 May) to assist the country in ratifying key IMO conventions. Timor-Leste has been a Member of IMO since 2005. Officials attending the workshop included representatives of the Committee on National Infrastructure of the Parliament, the National Directorate for Maritime Transport, the Ministry of Public Works, Transportation and Communication and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
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Security class in Oman A 10-day International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code workshop was held (3-14 May) in the Sultanate of Oman, for 25 designated authority officials and port facility security personnel. Participants completed the Advanced Maritime Drills and Exercises Workshop and the Self-Assessment Training (auditing) Workshop with the aim of improving the implementation of IMO’s maritime security measures with particular focus on planning and conducting maritime security exercises as well as on testing the effectiveness of the measures taken by carrying out security audits.
Maritime lawenforcement training Teams of maritime law-enforcement personnel from Djibouti and Kenya participated in the 16th course for Vessel Protection Detachment (VPD) Teams, run jointly by IMO, the NATO Maritime Interdiction Operations Training Centre (NMIOTC) and the East African Standby Force pursuant to the Djibouti Code of Conduct (11-22 May). The course was held at the NMIOTC in Souda Bay, Crete, Greece. To date, the programme, conducted under the auspices of the Djibouti Regional Training Centre, has trained some 261 personnel from 19 Djibouti Code of Conduct States.
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Strengthening Harnessing maritime security in eastern Africa’s the south Atlantic “blue economy” A seminar on maritime surveillance, monitoring and communication systems for maritime security, was organized in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (23 to 25 February) by IMO in cooperation with the Brazilian Navy and the south Atlantic Maritime Area Coordinator (CAMAS), with participation from African lusophone countries and observers from Argentina, Cameroon, Paraguay, Senegal, the United States and Uruguay. The seminar aimed to strengthen cooperation between countries in the South Atlantic Ocean in order to improve maritime security and maritime domain awareness.
Global summit discusses ballast water Ballast water management (BWM) was on the agenda at the Global Water Summit 2015 in Athens, Greece (27-28 April). At a session entitled “2015: the year for ballast water?” IMO’s Antoine Blonce presented latest updates on the IMO BWM Convention and GloBallast Partnerships Programme, which aim to address the transfer of harmful aquatic organisms and pathogens in ships’ ballast water, thereby reducing the negative impact on marine ecosystems.
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IMO`s Juvenal Shiundu attended the 19th Meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee Of Experts (ICE) of the Sub-Regional office for Eastern Africa of UNECA (UN Economic Commission for Africa) in Antananarivo, Madagascar (2 to 5 March). The aim of the meeting was to harness the power of the blue economy for eastern Africa`s development by maximizing the potential of the maritime sector, including via the sharing of experiences by individual countries on good practices and lessons learnt from other emerging economies. (Picture: NASA)
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Implementating marine environment treaties Dr Jose Matheickal from IMO’s Marine Environment Division and Ms Josephine Uranza, IMO’s Regional Coordinator for East Asia, participated in the first high-level regional meeting covering the IMO project to Assist East Asian Countries in Ratifying and Implementing IMO Instruments for the Protection of the Marine Environment (10-11 March). Held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the meeting was attended by the heads of maritime administrations, national focal points and national experts of the participating countries (Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam). The meeting concluded the planning phase of the project, which is being sponsored by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) through the IMO/NORAD Cooperation Programme. Through this project, each participating country is given support in acceding to, and effectively implementing, key IMO marine environment protection conventions.
Safety focus on Asia-Pacific IMO Secretary-General Koji Sekimizu addressed the Asia Pacific Heads of Maritime Safety Agencies (APHoMSA) at their annual forum (21 April). Passengership and ferry safety, regional technical cooperation, protecting the marine environment, seafarer welfare and maritime incident response were among the topics covered. The APHoMSA forum was established in 1996 to promote safe, secure shipping and a clean marine environment within the Asia-Pacific region. The 2015 meeting took place in Shenzhen, China.
Navigation in Straits of Malacca and Singapore IMO’s Ashok Mahapatra participated in the 14th meeting on Aids to Navigation in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore (28-29 April), in Singapore, representing IMO as an observer to the meeting, which was attended by the littoral States (Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore) along with user States (China, India, Japan and Republic of Korea). The IMO Malacca and Singapore Trust Fund supports various projects related to safety of navigation in the Straits, including those supporting the Marine Electronic Highway project.
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Presenting IMO’s marine environment work IMO’s Heike Deggim delivered a presentation featuring the key issues on the agenda of IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee at the Greentech Shiptech China Congress, Shanghai, China (9-10 April). Topics presented to national decision makers and industry experts included the Polar Code, energy efficiency and ballast water management.
IMO AT WORK
Improving search and rescue off east Africa Rebuilding Somalia’s maritime sector A three-day Stakeholders’ Forum (27-29 April) to review draft guidelines for the establishment of a Somali Maritime Administration was hosted by the Kenya Maritime Authority in Mombasa. Coordinated and funded by IMO, the forum was aimed at developing a framework for establishing such an administration, to provide the necessary governance and oversight to develop a sustainable maritime sector. This could then better address Somalia’s commitments and obligations under international law, and help ensure the country is in compliance with international regulations. Two ministers from the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) and other top officials from the FGS, Puntland and Galmudug, attended the workshop, which was funded under IMO’s technical cooperation programme. Observers from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the European regional capacity building mission EU-CAP NESTOR and the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) also participated.
Participants from Kenya, Seychelles and Tanzania attended a regional training course for search and rescue (SAR) administrators and the second meeting of the regional SAR Coordinating Committee for the East African Maritime Search and Rescue Region, in Victoria, Seychelles (11-15 May). The course and meeting were to support the improvement of national SAR services and the enhancement of regional cooperation, as well as assisting the countries in the region to further develop their regional SAR Plan, in support of the enhancement of the Global SAR Plan.
Kenya National Maritime Conference
UN Oceans at IMO
IMO Secretary-General Sekimizu delivered two addresses at the Kenya National Maritime Conference (23-24 February). In his keynote speech, on the theme of “Maritime Education and Training: A catalyst for development of Africa’s blue economy”, he spoke about the importance of maritime education and training, which is the theme for this year’s World Maritime Day. He noted the huge potential of the oceans and the blue economy to assist in the development of the African continent and highlighted the importance of developing a national maritime policy for Kenya.
20 March: experts from a number of UN agencies and the International Seabed Authority gathered at IMO headquarters in London for a meeting of UN Oceans, the international mechanism for cooperation on a wide range of ocean-related issues. At the opening of the meeting, IMO Secretary-General Koji Sekimizu spoke to delegates about the importance of adopting a collaborative approach when addressing cross-cutting issues with multiple stakeholders and delivering solutions as one.
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Tackling fishing vessel safety ali, Indonesia, hosted an B IMO regional seminar aimed at ratification and implementation of the 2012 Cape Town Agreement on safety of fishing vessels (13-17 April). The seminar was attended by participants from 12 countries in the east and southeast Asia region, where more than 70% of the global fishing fleet is based. The seminar was held in consultation with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Fishing continues to be considered the most hazardous occupation in the world. (Photo:ISSF)
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IMO conducts security training in Suriname
Supporting Mauritania’s maritime security A table-top exercise on maritime security took place in Nouakchott, Mauritania (13-15 April) run by IMO and attended by a number of national agencies. The event, hosted by the Mauritania Maritime Authority, encouraged a multi-agency, whole-of-government approach to maritime security and maritime law-enforcement issues using a range of evolving scenarios. IMO has been running this successful programme, designed to highlight the need for inter-agency cooperation and the development of national maritime strategies and contingency plans, in west and central Africa since 2012. The current event is the 16th table-top exercise to be held in the region.
Learning about wreck removal IMO’s Jan de Boer delivered the opening presentation on the Nairobi International Convention on the Removal of Wrecks at a meeting at the Erasmus University, Rotterdam (2 April) organized by the Netherlands Maritime Law Association and attended by some 150 lawyers and transport professionals. The Nairobi Convention was adopted at an IMO international conference held in Kenya in 2007 and entered into force on 14 April 2015. It provides the legal basis for States to remove, or have removed, shipwrecks that may have the potential to affect adversely the safety of lives, goods and property at sea, as well as the marine environment.
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An IMO team delivered national maritime security training, focusing on SOLAS chapter XI-2 and the ISPS Code, in Paramaribo, Suriname (16-20 February). The five day course was aimed at designated authority officials and port facility security officers with responsibility for training personnel who have security duties. In addition to providing participants with knowledge and skills on how to conduct maritime security training, the programme also served to update security professionals on the latest developments related to IMO’s maritime security measures.
IMO at Arctic Summit Maritime security in Gulf of Guinea A regional workshop entitled “Gulf of Guinea Maritime Security and Law Enforcement” took place in Yaoundé, Cameroon (13-16 April) focusing on the implementation of the Code of Conduct concerning the repression of piracy, armed robbery against ships, and illicit maritime activity in West and Central Africa. The workshop brought together officials from the United States, Europe, and Central and West Africa to address maritime crime, international legal frameworks, related criminal justice gaps and capacity building in the Gulf of Guinea region. The event was organized by IMO in conjunction with the U.S. Department of State Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), U.S. Department of Defense Africa Center for Strategic Studies (ACSS) and the U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM) and hosted by the Government of Cameroon.
As sea ice decreases and Arctic navigation becomes more prevalent, IMO is developing the Polar Code to address ship safety and environmental protection in polar waters. IMO’s Heike Deggim gave an update on progress to the Economist magazine’s 2015 Arctic Summit in Oslo, Norway (12 March), reporting that safety aspects of the Code were adopted in November 2014 and environmental provisions were expected to be adopted in May this year. When in force, the Polar Code will be mandatory for all ships on international voyages through polar waters. (Photo: Mark Garten)
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Bangladesh ship recycling project underway UNDP and IMO chiefs meet United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Administrator Helen Clark met IMO Secretary-General Sekimizu at IMO Headquarters (20 January). The two highlighted their common commitment to sustainable development and discussed the important role of maritime transportation in building the economies of developing countries. They noted the two highly successful multi-million dollar Partnerships Projects, executed by IMO in partnership with the UNDP, to address the threat of invasive species in ships’ ballast water. The first project was initiated in 2000 and this evolved into a second project – GloBallast Partnerships. The aims of the projects are to assist developing countries and their maritime industries in implementing international regulations on ballast water management and preventing risks arising from the transfer of harmful aquatic organisms in ships’ ballast water. Both projects have mobilized some US$13 million in financial support from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and leveraged many times this in cash and in-kind co-finance. IMO is currently working with UNDP and the GEF on developing new comprehensive global partnerships on energy efficiency in the maritime transport sector and marine biodiversity protection.
IMO Project Coordinator Simone Leyers was in Dhaka, Bangladesh (30 January to 6 February) to establish the local project management office and kick-start activities under the Norad-funded project “Safe and Environmentally Sound Ship Recycling in Bangladesh – Phase I”. The project aims to enhance the development of safe and environmentally sound ship recycling in Bangladesh, with the aim of improving the standards and, therefore, the sustainability of the industry. The project also aims to facilitate the ratification/ accession and effective implementation of the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, 2009, to ensure safe and environmentally sound ship recycling in Bangladesh.
Secretary-General visits Plymouth University IMO Secretary-General Sekimizu visited the UK’s Plymouth University (10 February). He met students and academic staff from the university and also had a chance to try the cutting-edge navigation simulator. During his visit Mr Sekimizu expressed his delight with the maritime heritage which, he said, the university “builds on to continue to provide well qualified professionals to the maritime industries”.
Search and rescue in east Asia IMO at African ministerial security meeting IMO’s Chris Trelawny attended the Second Ministerial Meeting on MaritimeMerci Safety and Security in Africa, et Victoria, Seychelles, 8-9 February. à nos lecteurs à nos The meeting was organized by the Africa Union in partnership with the annonceurs qui ont embarqué European Union and was chaired by His Excellency dans cette belle aventure. Mr Joel Morgan, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Transport, Seychelles. Participants exchanged views on maritime safety and security in the Horn of Africa and the Gulf of Guinea, transnational organized crime, human trafficking, smuggling of migrants and other illicit criminal activity.
Cap sur l’avenir.
Seafarer documentation experts meet
A regional seminar on the implementation of a global search and rescue (SAR) plan for east Asia was held in Jakarta, Indonesia (3-5 February), bringing together IMO’s Fred Kenney attended maritime and aviation search and the Tripartite Meeting of Experts rescue authorities in the East Asian on the Implementation of Region withreaders the aim of enhancing thanks to our and Seafarers’ Identity Documents SAR cooperation in theembarked region, advertisers who have Convention at the International improving existingvoyage. national SAR on this wonderful Labour Organization in Geneva services, and identifying needs for (4-6 February), reporting on future capacity building activities. IMO’s ANS/YEARS activities with regard to The IMO team was headed by that Convention. Hans van der Graaf.
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IMO NEWS
IMO AT WORK
Underwater noise impacts explained Underwater-radiated noise from commercial ships may have both short and long-term negative consequences on marine life, especially marine mammals. IMO’s Edward Kleverlaan has outlined IMO’s work on measures to reduce underwater noise, including the Guidelines for the reduction of underwater noise from commercial shipping to address adverse impacts on marine life, at the World Organisation of Dredging Associations (WODA) Workshop on Underwater Sound in Relation to Dredging, in Paris, France (26 March).
Directing maritime traffic IMO has delivered a regional seminar in Bahrain on the benefits of the IMO Facilitation (FAL) Convention, which deals with the various clearance procedures required when ships enter or leave ports. Designed to encourage more states to ratify the convention, the seminar focused on the practical use of electronic data exchange between ships and shore, using the so-called “single-window” concept. IMO’s Alper Keceli led the event, which was attended by representatives from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, UAE and Bahrain (23-25 March).
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Supporting counter-terrorism in Tunisia Supporting west and central Africa Maritime capacity building was on the agenda during a national seminar on “Flag State Implementation and Maritime Legislation Review” in Banjul, the Gambia, which was held following a five-day needs-assessment mission (9 – 13 March). The activity, facilitated by IMO, was part of the capacity-building programme for 19 countries in west and central Africa under the framework of the FlagPort WACAF project, which aims at ensuring compliance with IMO instruments for countries in the region with a view to upgrading the region’s maritime administrations.
IMO was part of a UN CounterTerrorism Committee Executive Directorate (UNCTED) delegation that visited Tunisia (25-26 March) to assess progress on countermeasures put in place by the Government to prevent and manage security incidents since the committee’s last visit in 2010. Meetings took place with authorities responsible for implementation and enforcement of maritime security measures to assess the level of implementation, provide recommendations, and identify technical assistance needs in relation to the provisions of key UN Security Council Resolutions that fall within the scope of IMO measures.
Women strengthen Caribbean maritime resources Training – Visibility – Recognition is the motto of IMO’s programme on Integration of Women in the Maritime Sector (IWMS) which launched the Women in Maritime Association for the Caribbean, a new regional network, during a meeting in Jamaica (13-17 April). The meeting was attended by 45 strategy officials from Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Panama, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago. One of the drivers of the IWMS programme has been the establishment of formal regional linkages between women managers in the maritime and port sectors, to provide a permanent channel for the exchange of information relating particularly to the effective implementation of international instruments. Six other associations have been established under the auspices of IMO, in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Pacific Islands.
Passenger ship safety in focus Current and future issues relating to passenger ship safety and operation were on the agenda as IMO’s Maritime Safety Division Director Andrew Winbow provided the regulatory perspective at a panel discussion on “Enhancement of Safety Measures at Sea” at Cruise Shipping Miami (17 March).
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Implementating marine environment treaties
Maritime law-enforcement course in Saudi Arabia
Dr Jose Matheickal from IMO’s Marine Environment Division and Ms Josephine Uranza, IMO’s Regional Coordinator for East Asia, participated in the first high-level regional meeting covering the IMO project to Assist East Asian Countries in Ratifying and Implementing IMO Instruments for the Protection of the Marine Environment (10-11 March). Held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the meeting was attended by the heads of maritime administrations, national focal points and national experts of the participating countries (Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam). The meeting concluded the planning phase of the project, which is being sponsored by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) through the IMO/NORAD Cooperation Programme. Through this project, each participating country is given support in acceding to and effectively implementing key IMO marine environment protection conventions.
Some 24 participants from Comoros, Djibouti, Jordan, Kenya, Madagascar, Maldives, Mauritius, Mozambique, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Federal Government of Somalia, South Africa, United Republic of Tanzania and Yemen attended a three-week maritime law-enforcement course, at the Border Guards Maritime Training Institute, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (15 March to 2 April). Conducted under the auspices of the Djibouti Code of Conduct (DCoC) and the Djibouti Regional Training Centre the course was jointly overseen by IMO and the Border Guard.
Hazard identification for non-SOLAS passenger ships underway in Philippines El Salvador, IMO sign technical cooperation agreement A new agreement on supporting the Republic of El Salvador to implement IMO treaties was signed in San Salvador on 23 March. IMO Secretary-General Koji Sekimizu and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of El Salvador, Hugo Martinez, signed the Letter of Understanding on technical cooperation between the Government of El Salvador and IMO, which outlines the intention of IMO to assist El Salvador in implementing important IMO international conventions, including the MARPOL, OPRC and STCW treaties.
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IMO has undertaken a hazard identification (HAZID) exercise for nonSOLAS passenger ships in the Philippines (2-6 March). The exercise was conducted with the participation of officials from the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina), Department of Transportation and Communications, Republic of the Philippines, other Government agencies, local classification societies, IACS members, domestic ship owners, domestic crew associations, shipyard operators, surveyors and consumer groups. This is a practical real-life example of using the HAZID as a step within the Formal Safety Assessment (FSA) process, for the purpose of improving the safety of passengers carried on non-international voyages. The aim is to develop a template or model for the use of the HAZID by other IMO Member States, as a way to enhance the safety of domestic passenger services.
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Enhancing maritime security in Cabo Verde
Boosting regional maritime security coordination
A table top exercise on maritime security was held in Sao Vicente Island, Cabo Verde (31 March – 1 April) with the aim of encouraging a multi-agency, whole-of-Government approach to maritime security and maritime law-enforcement issues using a range of evolving scenarios. Organized by the Cape Verde Maritime Authority, run by a team of IMO consultants and attended by a host of national agencies, the exercise follows the IMO/MOWCA (MoU) and the Code of Conduct concerning the prevention of piracy, armed robbery against ships and illicit maritime activity in West and Central Africa.
A regional workshop organized by IMO, in cooperation with the Government of Angola, was held in Luanda, Angola (24-27 March), to discuss the implementation of the Code of Conduct concerning the repression of piracy, armed robbery against ships and illicit maritime activity in west and central Africa, through the establishment of the Inter-regional Coordination Centre (ICC), to be based in Yaoundé, Cameroon. The ICC is expected to play a strategic role in enhancing maritime security in west Africa, where IMO is also targeting capacity-building efforts. The function of the ICC is to put in place a “permanent mechanism of national points of contact in order to foster cooperation and avoid duplication of efforts” amongst the multitude of donors and initiatives. The workshop brought together senior officers from 18 countries at management level, responsible for maritime issues and their country’s policies on the maritime sector.
Key project for ship recycling A new project entitled “Safe and environmentally sound ship recycling in Bangladesh” was launched in Dhaka, Bangladesh (8 April). It constitutes a key milestone on the road to improve safety and environmental standards within the industry and is the result of collaborative work between the Government of Bangladesh, IMO, the Secretariats of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions, and the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad). Additionally, a workshop, running alongside the launch, was organized to provide stakeholders with an update on the progress of the project’s implementation and to ensure that all parties are familiar with the objectives, activities, deliverables and approach to the implementation of the project.
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Learning maritime English in Africa Fifteen participants from west African countries (Cabo Verde, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Senegal and the Gambia) attended an IMO-funded regional “Maritime English Instructors Training Course” in Accra, Ghana (4-8 May), to enhance their capacity to deliver high-quality training to seafarers, in accordance with the language requirements under the STCW Convention.
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IMO updates on sea migration
Saving lives through cooperation
IMO’s Alper Keceli brought INTERTANKO up to date on the latest developments regarding unsafe, mixed migration by sea, during the INTERTANKO European panel meeting in Barcelona, Spain (29-30 April). Following the high-level United Nations Inter-Agency Meeting on Unsafe Mixed Migration by Sea held at IMO in March, the Legal Committee’s 102nd session (14-16 April) also discussed the matter and an intersessional discussion group was established, while a further informal meeting on the development of a draft regional MoU on procedures relating to the disembarkation of persons rescued at sea was also held in April. Meanwhile, IMO is working with other agencies including the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to develop databases on incidents involving migrants at sea. (Photo: UNHCR)
IMO participated in the 6th Pacific Regional Search and Rescue Workshop in Noumea, New Caledonia (13-17 April), to improve cooperation on maritime and aeronautical search and rescue operations. The workshop, jointly organized by IMO and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) and funded by IMO’s Integrated Technical Cooperation Programme (ITCP), aimed to improve maritime preparedness, focusing on more effective search and rescue legislation, mechanisms, planning and operation, by providing a forum for sharing best practices and knowledge and exchanging lessons learned to enhance understanding of regional search and rescue issues and the magnitude of the search and rescue effort, from preparedness and patrolling to mass rescue operations. It was attended by more than 50 participants from Pacific island countries (including Cook Islands, Fiji, Nauru, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Island, Tonga, and territories of France).
Salvage, wrecks and HNS cargos IMO’s Jan De Boer has delivered a presentation on the Nairobi International Convention on the Removal of Wrecks at the Interspill 2015 conference in Amsterdam (23 March). The presentation formed part of a short course on Salvage, Wrecks and Hazardous and Noxious Substances (HNS), which examined the issues surrounding casualty response from a salvor’s viewpoint and addressed the challenge of hazardous and noxious substances (HNS) cargos. In particular, cost recovery under international legislation relevant to salvage, wreck removal and HNS was considered.
The maritime world women want The maritime industry needs more women, particularly in leadership roles. The World Maritime University (WMU) and IMO have launched a book to highlight the achievements of women in the maritime sector. IMO`s Pamela Tansey, a contributor to the book, delivered a keynote address at the launch at the World Maritime University (13 March). The book – Maritime Women: Global Leadership – is a compilation of scientific papers presented at the ‘Maritime Women: Global Leadership’ international conference hosted by WMU last year, in cooperation with IMO. In conjunction with the book launch, WMU hosted a forum with IMO to discuss the advancement of women in the maritime sector. Sessions entitled “The Maritime World We Want” and “Tools for Implementing Gender Equality in the Maritime Sector,” covered policy, career, education, leadership, and sustainability.
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Maritime law-enforcement students graduate All 24 students from 14 signatory countries to the Djibouti Code of Conduct completed a Maritime Law-Enforcement course held at the Border Guards Maritime Institute in Jeddah, under joint supervision of IMO and the Border Guards. The course covered internationally-recognised best practices for planning and conduct of law-enforcement operations at sea, from a regional perspective, and included theory and practice in planning and execution of maritime law-enforcement using simulators, with instruction delivered by trainers from Saudi Arabia, the NATO Maritime Interdiction Operations Training Centre (NMIOTC), and the EU MARSIC Project.
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Tackling the trafficking of illegal wildlife products How can maritime transport contribute?
by Chris Trelawny* Can the current range of regulations, procedures, guidance and initiatives developed and implemented by IMO for enhancing maritime security and facilitating international maritime traffic also be applied to preventing the trafficking of illegal wildlife products – and if so, how? IMO has been engaged in maritime securityrelated activities for longer than one might think. In 1983, in response to the unacceptable level of piracy and armed robbery against ships in the Gulf of Guinea, IMO began to collect data and report on piracy incidents, going on to develop a comprehensive range of guidance on all aspects of the suppression of piracy and armed robbery against ships. Following the 1985 hijacking of the Achille Lauro, IMO’s Maritime Safety Committee
developed detailed and practical technical measures to ensure the security of passengers and crews aboard ships. Later, the 1988 Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Maritime Navigation (SUA Convention) and its associated protocol were developed, primarily aimed at protecting ships and fixed platforms on the continental shelf. IMO also addressed other crimes having a negative impact on shipping’s efficiency.
Guidelines were developed to assist in resolving stowaway cases and on preventing and suppressing drug smuggling. Many aspects of this guidance, including crew awareness and sensitization, could also be relevant to the suppression of the illegal wildlife trade. The devastating terrorist acts of 11 September 2001 in the United States raised the spectre of terrorist organizations using ships as weapons per se, or as a means of transporting weapons of mass destruction, especially via cargo. IMO began to consider the issue of cargo security and, in particular, the security aspects of the carriage of closed cargo transport units and of freight containers transported by ships.
*Special Advisor to the IMO Secretary-General on Maritime Security and Facilitation
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International Labour Organization (ILO) has led to IMO’s maritime security system being extended into the wider port area through, in particular, the development of the ILO/IMO Code of practice on security in ports. Cooperation with the World Customs Organization (WCO) to enhance the security of international movements of containers led to the WCO “Framework of Standards to secure and facilitate global trade” (the SAFE Framework), along with the associated “Seal of integrity programme for secure container shipments”, being adopted by the WCO Council in June 2005.
Smarter approach
Photo: Lee Adamson
The SAFE Framework is designed to enhance security and customs authorities’ risk-assessment capabilities and adopt a “smarter” approach to targeting containers for inspection. Primarily based on assessment of documentation and confirmation of the integrity of supply-chain security, this does not have an appreciable effect on how containers are physically handled; but it is intended to enhance the speed with which they are cleared for shipment, thus giving economic advantage to those participating in the process. Undoubtedly, customs can and should play a central role in the security and facilitation of global trade. However, a holistic approach is required to optimize supply-chain security while ensuring continued improvements in trade facilitation. Customs should be encouraged to develop cooperative arrangements with other government agencies to both ensure maritime security and counter illegal trafficking. The trafficking of illicit drugs arguably kills more people and has a far more detrimental effect on society over time than terrorist attacks. The smuggling and diversion of weapons in contravention of national laws and internationally agreed arms embargoes; the illegal migration and trafficking of men, women and children; and the smuggling of nuclear
materials are all challenges that need to be addressed. Factor into this the urgent need to address the issue of the trafficking of illegal wildlife products, the wider issues of environmental and cultural concerns, and the need to deprive terrorist organizations and organized criminal gangs of funding, and it becomes clear that not only cooperative arrangements with other government agencies, but also cooperative arrangements with all stakeholders in a coordinated approach to cargo control, are of paramount importance. In the maritime context, the most credible solution would be a partnership between governments, all of the control authorities and security agencies with an interest in maritime cargo, the consignors, companies and cargo-handling agents, following agreed and standardized procedures. The logical place to apply security is at source, i.e. where the containers are stuffed. Once the contents have been established as being correct, non-threatening and legal (for example in the case of illegal wildlife products “tusk free”), procedural security measures such as the use of seals, control of access, correct documentation and verifiable handling procedures can be applied. This removes the need for further screening or searching at the port, except for random sampling for verification of compliance and to counter corruption. The governmental buy-in to this would take the form of national legislation empowering control authorities to delegate some of their functions to the consignors and/or cargo handling agents, through the application of agreed cargo security plans. This would have to be matched with appropriate powers for the control authorities to oversee compliance with the agreed plans by the “approved operators”. Such approvals could be specific to particular controls, for example security, dangerous goods, narcotics or illegal wildlife products.
In direct response to the 9/11 attacks, IMO adopted amendments to the Safety of Life at Sea Convention (SOLAS), including a new chapter XI-2 on “Special measures to enhance maritime security” and the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code. The new regulatory regime, which entered into force on 1 July 2004, and is currently applicable to 162 States and 98.6% of world tonnage, supplemented the 1988 SUA Convention and its associated protocol. Recognizing that SOLAS has limited jurisdiction on land, and as most of the security-sensitive parts of the container operation take place ashore, either in the port area or further inland, cooperation with the
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The logical place to apply security measures to containers is where they are filled The benefit to the industry of this approach could be that approved operators would be able to “fast track” their containers through export controls, thus gaining competitive advantage. It would reduce the number of times containers would be opened, thus enhancing their integrity. The threat of losing approved operator status, thus losing economic benefits of the fast track facility, should be incentive enough for shippers to maintain compliance. The benefits to the control authorities would be a ready-made risk-assessment process, allowing them to concentrate on the higher risk exporters who do not qualify for approved operator status, and an auditable trail for investigating irregularities. One of the main challenges to international supply-chain security is reassuring the receiving country that the inbound containers do not pose a threat. In the context of ship and port facility security, the IMO security measures go a long way towards increasing countries’ mutual confidence. There are clearly outlined procedures supported by provisions for control and compliance measures and the requirement for the communication of information. Essentially, there are a limited number of key players in each process, and the focus is on the activities of the ship and port facility security officers and their respective security plans, the roles and contents of which are clearly stated in the ISPS Code and the supporting guidance. However, the situation with supply-chain security is complex, given the number and diversity of stakeholders involved in the process. An internationally agreed system for supplychain security such as the SAFE Framework, ideally harmonized with the regulated agent system, will go a long way towards building countries’ confidence in each other’s container security systems. If each country or region adopts its own distinct system, or applies standards in an inconsistent manner, it will be difficult for countries to rely on each other’s measures; additional security controls would be required at the port of entry. Not only would this increase costs and
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clearance times, it would also preclude other benefits of a secure supply chain. For example, using the WCO’s “customs-to customs” model, importing countries could also “fast track” clearance of consignments received from other countries’ “approved economic operators”, subject to the operator having a clean record. Any irregularities found in the importing country during random inspection could be referred to the relevant control authorities in the originating country for consideration when renewing the “approved” status. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has, during recent years, undertaken various security-related activities, including developing procedures for supplychain security consistent with the ISPS Code, the SAFE Framework and similar initiatives.
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ISO 28000:2007 and the related standards and publicly available specifications in the 28000 series were developed to codify security operations within the broader supply-chain management system and allow companies to demonstrate that they have identified critical aspects to the security of their supply chain and have policies, procedures and controls in place to manage security risks. Certification of compliance with ISO Standards would reinforce the credibility of individual links in the supply chain and add to the credibility of the system both across borders and between national agencies. The implementation, by governments, of a system for maritime supply-chain security, based upon the SAFE Framework model, but having the flexibility to expand to incorporate other controls and the mandates of a range of government departments, could have significant benefits for enhancing safety and security, countering trafficking, including illegal wildlife products, while, at the same time, enhancing the facilitation of international trade. Procedural security measures, consistent with the approaches of IMO, WCO, ICAO and ISO, coupled with random searching and feedback of information, would enhance the effectiveness of such an approach, while at the same time building confidence in the integrity of the system. However, for such a system to work, it will require the commitment of all government agencies concerned with cross-border controls and security. As with all aspects of maritime security and transnational organized crime, a joined-up approach is essential.
Wildlife task force “Within the last decade, the illegal wildlife trade has mutated from low-level, opportunistic crime to large-scale activity by international criminal networks. The trade is only exceeded in value by the illegal market for drugs, arms and trafficked human beings, and generates as much as $20 billion a year in illegal profits profits which are used to fund organized criminal networks and non-state armed groups. I don’t need to tell you that this holds alarming implications for our global security. And this trade is on the rise. In South Africa, the number of rhinos killed by poachers in 2007 was 13. In 2012, it was more than 600. In 2013, more than 20,000 elephants were killed on the African continent, with numbers poached now exceeding the rate of births. And there are now only 3,200 tigers left in the wild. I could go on. The cumulative effect of wildlife crime is shocking. The abundance of the
world’s species has decreased by almost a third over the last 100 years. This hugely impoverishes all of us. So I am very pleased to say that, under the auspices of United for Wildlife, a taskforce is to be formed, specifically designed to work with the transport industry – from airlines to shipping lines – to examine its role in the illegal wildlife trade and identify means by which the sector can break the chain between suppliers and consumers. Within a year, the taskforce will work with the transport industry to develop recommendations for how it can play its part in shutting down wildlife trafficking trade routes; with the sole intention that the implementation of these recommendations will lead to a tangible and significant reduction in the illegal wildlife trade”. HRH the Duke of Cambridge, in a speech on the illegal wildlife trade at the World Bank, Washington DC, USA, 2014.
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