IMO and the Pacific Community (SPC) are supporting enforcement of ship safety standards in the Pacific region with a two-week training exercise for flag State inspectors, in Suva, Fiji during 19-28 September.
Fourteen technical officers are being equipped with the skills to verify ship conditions and equipment, and to ensure compliance with the relevant international and regional ship safety standards. There are around 2000 registered domestic vessels providing transport between the many islands in the region.
The training exercise builds on IMO’s 2015 Manila Conference on domestic ferry safety, which acknowledged the urgent need to enhance the safety of ships carrying passengers on non-international voyages and urged States to review and update national passenger ferry regulations and to apply the guidelines adopted at the Conference.
Although ships operating on non-international voyages fall outside of IMO’s remit, the Organization places great importance on the safety of passenger ships and urges countries to apply the highest safety standards possible.
Source & Image credit: IMO
