Tag: IMO

IMO to increase LLMC limits by 51% The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), which represents all sectors and trades and over 80% of the global shipping industry, and leads shipowner representation at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Legal Committee, has expressed strong support for the agreement reached by IMO this week to increase the limits of liability under the Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims Convention 1996 (LLMC), by 51%.In addition to general maritime claims, the new LLMC limits, which will come into effect in three years' time, will apply to claims under IMO Conventions governing liabilities for bunker spills (other than claims covered by the Civil Liability Convention) and wreck removal once the Nairobi Convention enters into force.ICS Secretary General, Peter Hinchliffe remarked: "Throughout the debate at IMO over the past two years ICS has observed that the industry was open to a discussion of increases, but that these had to be based on agreed criteria, namely claims history, inflation, and the effect on the cost of insurance. In the event, the final increases agreed by IMO seem to be a reasonable outcome."He added: "It remains to be seen what economic impact the new limits will have on the ...

Secretary-General Mr. Koji Sekimizu recalls the improvements to passenger ship safety

Secretary-General Mr. Koji Sekimizu recalls the improvements to passenger ship safety IMO Secretary-General Koji Sekimizu has issued a video message ahead of the anniversary on Saturday (14 April) of the sinking of the Titanic, remembering all those who lost their lives in the tragic accident, recalling the improvements to passenger ship safety introduced as a result of that incident and acknowledging the need for continual improvement and enhancement of safety at sea.The text of the message is reproduced below."One hundred years ago today, 14th of April, Titanic struck an iceberg, while on her maiden voyage between Europe and the United States. Within a few hours, more than 1,500 people had perished in the freezing waters of the North Atlantic, transforming what was then the world's most celebrated ship into a name forever associated with disaster."The Titanic disaster prompted the major shipping nations of the world, at that time, to take decisive action to address maritime safety. It led to the adoption of the first international convention on safety of life at sea, SOLAS, in 1914."International Maritime Organization can trace its own roots back to the Titanic disaster. In its aftermath, the requirement for an international standard-setting body to oversee maritime ...

Denmark has strived to make it mandatory for member States to undergo a IMO audit Together with a number of other countries, Denmark has strived to make it mandatory for member States to undergo a so-called IMO audit. This ensures that the countries implement the obligations following from the international conventions on maritime safety and protection of the marine environment. Until now, the IMO has had a voluntary system. At the meeting, important steps were taken towards making this mandatory so that it will apply to all countries from 2015. The 20th session of the IMO Sub-Committee on Flag State Implementation (FSI) was held from 26 to 29 March 2012.At the meeting, work was also being done on new regulations for classification societies, new guidelines for port State control and accident investigation as well as guidelines for how new regulations on marine equipment must apply to ships under construction.Source: Danish Maritime Authority

IMO FSI 20th Session Update, 26-30 March 2012 The IMO's Sub-Commitee on Flag State Implementation (FSI) held its 20th session on Monday 26 through Friday 30 March 2012 under the Chairmanship of Captain Dwain Hutchinson (Bahamas) and Vice Chairman, Ms Julie Gascon (Canada); both were elected for a further year during the meeting.A Drafting Group on 'Harmonisation of Port State Control Activities' was formed, together with three Working Groups viz (1) Casualty Analysis (2) Review of the Survey Guidelines under the HSSC and the Annexes to the Code for the Implementation of Mandatory IMO Instruments, and (3) the Development of a Code for Recognised Organisations. Following is a short summary of salient points emanating from the meeting on items most relevant to Intermanager members: MANDATORY REPORTS UNDER MARPOL. 40,056 ships were boarded for Port State control in 2010 whilst the total number of ships detained in port or denied entry for MARPOL violations was 574, or 1.4% of those boarded. Discrepancies were reported for 560 ships under the IOPP Certificate, 1642 for Oil Record Book and 1,350 ships for MARPOL equipment. There were many reports of alleged inadequacies of reception facilities that arose in 2010 but no indication to date ...

IMO Sub-Committee on Radiocommunications and Search and Rescue United Nations' International Maritime Organization (IMO) held a meeting in the Sub-Committee on Radiocommunications and Search and Rescue (COMSAR 16). The meeting was held at the IMO headquarters in London on 12-16 March 2012.The meeting focused especially on the work revising and modernizing the GMDSS system, which stipulates regulations and standards for maritime distress and safety communication. The GMDSS system has been operative for about 20 years, and technological developments have meant that, at the COMSAR session held in 2010, it was decided to start pre-investigating the need for modernizations. During the pre-investigations, a revision and modernization of the system was considered necessary, which there was also general agreement about at the COMSAR session just held.Consequently, a work plan for a revision and modernization of the GMDSS system was agreed upon, and this work is planned to be finalized in 2017. Furthermore, it was decided to re-establish a correspondence group, which is to continue the ongoing work until the next COMSAR session that will be held in 2013.A joint working group at the IMO and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) will, in addition, consider the revision of the GMDSS system at a ...

Coordination and co-operation: activities of IMO and the way forward Secretary-General of International Maritime Organization, Mr Koji Sekimizu gave a keynote speech regarding"Coordination and co-operation: activities of IMO and the way forward" during the Seminar on Piracy and Armed Robbery at Sea, on 28 of March 2012 (Brussels Session 1 "Orchestrating the response") as follows:'' As piracy continues to plague shipping and put the lives and livelihoods of seafarers at serious risk, we must continue to work hard to ensure meaningful and substantial progress in the fight to combat this insidious criminal activity. We must change and stem the tide towards complete eradication. A coordinated response, across several different fronts, is the only way forward and, from this point of view, the holding of this Seminar is timely and I appreciate Vice-President Kallas for inviting me to address the Seminar today.As the specialized agency of the United Nations with, among other things, a responsibility for the safety and security of international shipping, the International Maritime Organization has been among those actively advocating and working towards just such a coordinated approach. This is based on our long involvement in combating piracy, not just Somali-based but in other parts of the world ...

Exchange of PSC detention data Paris MoU signed an agreement for data exchange with the IMO SecretariatOn 26 March the Paris MoU Secretary General, Mr. Richard Schiferli signed an agreement covering the exchange of PSC detention data with the IMO Secretariat's Director of the Administrative Division, Mr. Jo Espinoza-Ferrey.Source: Paris MoU

The Magazine of the International Maritime Organization The International Maritime Organization issues its online magazine, IMO News Magazine 2012 - issue 1, including a wide range of topics such as:- IMO Bravery Award goes to defiant shipmaster- Costa Concordia prompts passenger safety moves- UNFCCC acknowledges IMO's climate change progress- Counter-piracy: a year of progress, more to be done- IMO Assembly adopts wide range of resolutionsFor more information, click here.Source: IMO

Green House Gas Legal Framework Georgios Remoundos, Ministry of Development, Competitiveness & Shipping, Pollution Prevention Equipment & Cargoes Department is giving a presentation regarding Green House Gas Legal FrameworkThe Safety4Sea Energy Efficiency Forum, a PRO BONO event, successfully completed on 8th of March 2012 in Athens, covering a wide range of Technical, Operational and Market Based Issues regarding Energy Efficiency in Shipping.The event has been well attended by over 250 delegates at the venue representing more than 140 companies. The event organized by IBS Marine Consulting Group and sponsored by MARORKA, Dorian Hellas and Transmar Shipping.For more information about the Forum visithttp://www.safety4sea.com/forum/3For more information about Safety4Sea visit the official site http://www.safety4sea.com