Efforts to increase global fishing vessel safety have received a boost with South Africa becoming the seventh State to ratify the 2012 Cape Town Agreement.
The treaty, which implements the Torremolinos Protocol, covers various important safety requirements including radiocommunications, life-saving appliances and arrangements, and emergency procedures, musters and drills.
The Agreement will enter into force 12 months after it has been ratified by 22 States which, collectively, have 3600 or more fishing vessels of at least 24 metres in length operating on the high seas.
Mr. Peace Kennedy, Counsellor at the South African High Commission in London, presented the instrument of ratification to IMO Senior Legal Officer Jan De Boer at IMO Headquarters, London.
Source & Image Credit: IMO
