The Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) meets this week for its 68th session to discuss about the proposed adoption of the environmental part of the Polar Code and associated draft MARPOL amendments to make the Code mandatory; the implementation of the Ballast Water Management Convention; further work on air pollution and energy efficiency measures; and a proposal to extend the Great Barrier Reef and Torres Strait Particularly Sensitive Sea Area (PSSA) to parts of the Coral Sea.
During the opening, Mr. Koji Sekimizu, IMO Secretary General, expressed his concerns over the disappointingly slow pace of BWM Convention ratification:
“The disappointingly slow pace of ratifications of the Ballast Water Management Convention continues to concern me deeply. Since MEPC 67 the Convention only gained two additional ratifications. To date, 44 States with an aggregate of 32.86% of the world’s merchant fleet tonnage have embraced the Convention. Once this Convention is activated, we can handle all issues related to its implementation under the IMO System – that is the Ballast Water Management Convention. 44 Member Governments are waiting for the entry into force of the BWM Convention to protect their waters.
The resolution the Committee adopted at its last session on Measures to be taken to facilitate entry into force of the BWM Convention and more specifically, the ‘non-penalization’ provisions, on which I expect detailed discussions will continue at this session, will seriously reduce the initial burdens of compliance for shipowners and supports the so-called ‘early movers’ in their proactive efforts to install and operate ballast water treatment systems. This is in addition to an important decision, two years ago, by the Assembly in adopting unanimously a pragmatic implementation schedule for existing ships. This progress, together with other achievements in the field of ballast water management, such as adoption of the port State control guidelines and the approval of 57 ballast water management systems, should give us sufficient confidence to encourage ratification and global implementation of the BWM Convention. I am also glad to see that amendments to the BWM Convention to enforce the Assembly’s agreement were submitted for consideration at this session and I appreciate the contribution made by Liberia.
When we deal with complex issues such as the implementation of the Ballast Water Management Convention, we must stick to the principles. The principle here is that ships fully complying with IMO standards, with equipment already type-approved meeting IMO standards, should be accepted by all port and coastal States and must enjoy innocent passage and port entry to carry on global trade. We must strengthen this principle and rigorously apply this principle for the global implementation of the Ballast Water Management Convention, not only in this room but also at anytime and anywhere in the world.
MEPC 67 adopted the resolution to significantly reduce the burden on shipowners with regard to existing vessels in the initial phase of implementation. This resolution must be implemented, but this cannot be done unless the Convention comes into force. In other words, without the Convention in force and as amended, the resolution cannot be activated.”
Mr Sekimizu urged this Meeting to concentrate on establishing a clear roadmap towards actual global implementation of the BWM Convention and preparing necessary amendments to the in order to implement the Assembly resolution and the MEPC resolution. He also expressed his confidence that “the Convention will come into force in the very near future“
Source: IMO
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