IMO’s Legal Committee met virtually to conduct the 107th session addressing important matters in regards to the COVID-19 pandemic, the fair treatment of seafarers and the abandonment of seafarers, issues that have been in the spotlight in the past months.
The Legal Committee issued four proposals, aiming to improve shipping operations, focusing on seafarers treatment and abandonment, as well as on cases concerning fraudulent registration.
#1 During the session that will take place from November 27 to December 1st, the Committee will consider a proposal for a new output, to address the fair treatment of seafarers detained on suspicion of committing maritime crimes, recognizing the global nature of shipping, crossing many jurisdictions, and seafarers’ rights to a fair trial.
#2 Moreover, a second proposal for new work raises the need to develop a set of guidelines for port State authorities on how to deal with seafarer abandonment cases. Such guidelines could provide a solid basis for the introduction of a unified procedure to follow in order to speed up the process of repatriation of seafarers and to improve port operations.
#3 Another issue of discussion focuses on unlawful practices associated with the fraudulent registration and fraudulent registries of ships, following agreement at the last session of a series of measures to prevent those unlawful practices.
#4 The Committee will discuss actions taken towards the implementation and harmonized interpretation of the 2010 HNS Convention, which, when in force, will address liability and compensation for accidents involving hazardous and noxious substances.
Opening the session, IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim highlighted the important of setting as a priority seafarers, commenting that
As I have repeatedly emphasized, seafarers are the silent heroes and collateral victims of the COVID-19 pandemic, as travel restrictions have left hundreds of thousands of them stranded on ships, or unable to join ships. IMO, together with other United Nations system organizations, has taken countless actions to address the serious issues that have arisen during this crew change crisis, and we will continue to seek solutions to put an end to the crisis.