an introduction to imo
DESCRIPTION
A simple introduction to IMOTRANSCRIPT
University of AegeanSchool of Business
Department of Shipping
An introduction toInternational Maritime Organization
Petros KiladitisThiresia Kalampoki
Panagiota Kolia
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The IMO
Shipping is perhaps the most international of all theworld's great industries and one of the most dangerous. Ithas always been recognized that the best way ofimproving safety at sea is by developing internationalregulations that are followed by all shipping nations andfrom the mid19th century onwards a number of suchtreaties were adopted. Several countries proposed that apermanent international body should be established topromote maritime safety more effectively, but it was notuntil the establishment of the United Nations itself thatthese hopes were realized. In 1948 an internationalconference in Geneva adopted a convention formallyestablishing IMO (the original name was the InterGovernmental Maritime Consultative Organization, orIMCO, but the name was changed in 1982 to IMO). TheIMO Convention entered into force in 1958 and the newOrganization met for the first time the following year.
The purposes of the Organization, as summarized byArticle 1(a) of the Convention, are "to provide machineryfor cooperation among Governments in the field ofgovernmental regulation and practices relating totechnical matters of all kinds affecting shipping engagedin international trade; to encourage and facilitate thegeneral adoption of the highest practicable standards inmatters concerning maritime safety, efficiency ofnavigation and prevention and control of marine pollutionfrom ships". The Organization is also empowered to dealwith administrative and legal matters related to thesepurposes.
IMO's first task was to adopt a new version of theInternational Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea(SOLAS), the most important of all treaties dealing withmaritime safety. This was achieved in 1960 and IMO thenturned its attention to such matters as the facilitation ofinternational maritime traffic, load lines and the carriage
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of dangerous goods, while the system of measuring thetonnage of ships was revised.
But although safety was and remains IMO's mostimportant responsibility, a new problem began to emerge pollution. The growth in the amount of oil beingtransported by sea and in the size of oil tankers was ofparticular concern and the Torrey Canyon disaster of1967, in which 120,000 tonnes of oil was spilled,demonstrated the scale of the problem.
During the next few years IMO introduced a series ofmeasures designed to prevent tanker accidents and tominimize their consequences. It also tackled theenvironmental threat caused by routine operations suchas the cleaning of oil cargo tanks and the disposal ofengine room wastes in tonnage terms a bigger menacethan accidental pollution.
The most important of all these measures was theInternational Convention for the Prevention of Pollutionfrom Ships, 1973, as modified by the Protocol of 1978relating thereto (MARPOL 73/78). It covers not onlyaccidental and operational oil pollution but also pollutionby chemicals, goods in packaged form, sewage, garbageand air pollution.
IMO was also given the task of establishing a systemfor providing compensation to those who had sufferedfinancially as a result of pollution. Two treaties wereadopted, in 1969 and 1971, which enabled victims of oilpollution to obtain compensation much more simply andquickly than had been possible before. Both treaties wereamended in 1992, and again in 2000, to increase thelimits of compensation payable to victims of pollution.
IMO also developed a number of other legalconventions, most of which concern liability andcompensation issues.
Shipping, like all of modern life, has seen manytechnological innovations and changes. Some of these
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have presented challenges for the Organization and othershave presented opportunities. The enormous strides madein communications technology, for example, have made itpossible for IMO to introduce major improvements to themaritime distress system.
In the 1970s a global search and rescue system wasinitiated. The 1970s also saw the establishment of theInternational Mobile Satellite Organization (IMSO), whichhas greatly improved the provision of radio and othermessages to ships.
In 1992 a further advance was made when theGlobal Maritime Distress and Safety System began to bephased in. In February 1999, the GMDSS became fullyoperational, so that now a ship that is in distressanywhere in the world can be virtually guaranteedassistance, even if the ship's crew do not have time toradio for help, as the message will be transmittedautomatically.
Other measures introduced by IMO have concernedthe safety of containers, bulk cargoes, liquefied gastankers and other ship types. Special attention has beenpaid to crew standards, including the adoption of a specialconvention on standards of training, certification andwatch keeping.
The adoption of maritime legislation is still IMO'smost important concern. Around 40 conventions andprotocols have been adopted by the Organization andmost of them have been amended on several occasions toensure that they are kept up to date with changes takingplace in world shipping.
But adopting treaties is not enough they have to beput into effect. This is the responsibility of Governmentsand there is no doubt that the way in which this is donevaries considerably from country to country.
IMO has introduced measures to improve the waylegislation is implemented, by assisting flag States (the
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countries whose flag a ship flies) and by encouraging theestablishment of regional port State control systems.When ships go to foreign ports they can be inspected toensure that they meet IMO standards. By organizing theseinspections on a regional rather than a purely nationalbasis resources can be used more efficiently.
IMO has also developed a technical cooperationprogramme which is designed to assist Governmentswhich lack the technical knowledge and resources that areneeded to operate a shipping industry successfully. Theemphasis of this programme is very much on training andperhaps the best example is the World Maritime Universityin Malmö, Sweden, which was established in 1983 andprovides advanced training for the men and womeninvolved in maritime administration, education andmanagement.
Two initiatives in the 1990s are especially important.On 1 July 1998 the International Safety ManagementCode entered into force and became applicable topassenger ships, oil and chemical tankers, bulk carriers,gas carriers and cargo high speed craft of 500 grosstonnage and above. It became applicable to other cargoships and mobile offshore drilling units of 500 grosstonnage and above not later than 1 July 2002.
On 1 February 1997, the 1995 amendments to theInternational Convention on Standards of Training,Certification and Watch keeping for Seafarers, 1978entered into force. They greatly improve seafarerstandards and, for the first time, give IMO itself powers tocheck Government actions.
It is expected that these two measures, by raisingstandards of management and shipboard personnel, willgreatly improve safety and pollution prevention in theyears to come.
The emphasis on the socalled "human element"remains paramount for IMO.
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Meanwhile, IMO has seen a renewed focus onsecurity issues since the terrorist atrocities in the UnitedStates in September 2001.
A new, comprehensive security regime forinternational shipping is set to enter into force in July2004 following the adoption by a weeklong DiplomaticConference in December 2002 of a series of measures tostrengthen maritime security and prevent and suppressacts of terrorism against shipping. The Conference was ofcrucial significance not only to the international maritimecommunity but the world community as a whole, giventhe pivotal role shipping plays in the conduct of worldtrade.
In September 2001 the international memorial to theworld’s seafarers, past, present and future, was unveiledat IMO headquarters. The memorial, a sevenmetre high,tentonne bronze representation of the bow of a cargoship with a lone seafarer on the deck, is the work ofinternationally renowned sculptor Michael Sandle. Itsdramatic configuration and massive scale havetransformed the front of the IMO building and created amajor new London landmark on the Thames riverfront.
With a staff of 300 people, IMO is one of the smallestof all United Nations agencies. But it has achievedconsiderable success in achieving its aim of "safershipping and cleaner oceans". Ship casualty rates havedeclined and the amount of oil entering the sea from shipshas been cut.
The challenge now facing IMO and its 164 MemberStates is how to maintain this success at a time whenshipping is changing more rapidly than ever before.
Source: IMO website