IMO Diplomatic Conference from 9 to 11 October 2012
The IMO Diplomatic Conference to consider and adopt an Agreement on the Implementation of the Torremolinos Protocol of 1993 relating to the 1977 Torremolinos International Convention for the Safety of Fishing Vessels will take place in Cape Town, South Africa, from 9 to 11 October 2012 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC).
The Conference is expected to consider and adopt an Agreement on the Implementation of the 1993 Protocol relating to the 1977 Torremolinos International Convention for the Safety of Fishing Vessels. The Agreement would amend the technical provisions of the 1993 Protocol, with the aim of bringing them into force as soon as possible thereafter.
The safety of fishermen and fishing vessels forms an integral part of IMO’s mandate but the instruments on fishing vessel safety which have previously been adopted by the Organization have not come into force due to a variety of technical and legal obstacles and the fishing sector is still experiencing a large number of fatalities every year. Bringing into force a binding international safety regime is expected to play a part in helping reverse that trend.
The draft Agreement has been already endorsed by the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC), IMO’s senior technical body, following extensive work to review the 1993 Torremolinos Protocol and address impediments to its entry into force. The proposed draft amendments to the annex to the 1993 Torremolinos Protocol, which would be attached to the Agreement, have also been endorsed by the MSC.
Once the Agreement is in force, countries which are Party to it could consider implementation of the technical requirements of the 1993 Torremolinos Protocol under the terms and conditions contained in the Agreement. The Agreement would be a new, legally binding, instrument, offering a firm foundation to implement the amended technical provisions of the Torremolinos Protocol.
The Conference is expected to consider the draft Agreement in detail and decide on a number of provisions, including entry into force criteria for the agreement.
Source: IMO