IMO urges for national shipping security legislation

IMO underlined the necessity of the drafting and enactment of appropriate national legislation for the successful implementation and oversight of IMO’s maritime security measures.

In particular, IMO suggested that the legislation should specify the powers needed for Government officials to undertake their duties, including the inspection and testing of security measures and procedures in place at ports and port facilities and on ships, and the application of enforcement actions to correct incidents of non-compliance.

A workshop and assessment mission covering this topic has been held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on February 21-22, organized by IMO at the request of the Merchant Marine Department, Ministry of Public Works and Transport, Cambodia.  The workshop targeted Cambodian officials of the Designated Authority and Administration, particularly legal experts with responsibilities for implementation of maritime security measures in SOLAS Chapter XI-2 and the International ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code.

The aim was to help identify legislative gaps and suggest possible solutions. Participants considered port and ship security obligations arising under international conventions, reviewed existing national maritime security legislation and identified potential areas of improvement, based on recently approved IMO guidance and examples of similar laws from other IMO Member States.

Source: IMO