International Maritime Organizationand How it works.

Edward Kleverlaan

IMO Technical Officer

Marine Environment Division

International Maritime Organization

• Specialized United Nations agency

‘Safe, secure and efficient shipping on clean oceans’

• Is the competent international organization for regulating shipping matters (e.g. UNCLOS Art 211)– Maintains balance between protection of the

environment and navigation rights

Global coverage

• 168 Member States• All major ship owning

nations• All major port &

coastal states• Industry Peak bodies,

and,• IGOs and NGOs

Headquarters in London – United Kingdom

Headquarters in London – United Kingdom

International Maritime Organization

• Develops global regulations - maintain safety and

security of international shipping and to prevent marine pollution from ships

• Involved in creating liability and compensation regimes

• Adopts instruments (legislation) and guidelines at the intergovernmental level

• Member Governments are responsible for implementing and enforcing the adopted regulatory framework.

Instruments

• Conventions or Protocols• Amendments to Conventions or Protocols• Resolutions, Codes, Guidelines, Recommendations,

etc.

• The phases from adoption to implementation and enforcement:

– Adoption, after discussion in IMO– Entry into force internationally– Implementation (by flag States)– Enforcement (by port and coastal States)

IMO at work

• Assembly• Council

Committees• Maritime Safety• Marine Environment Protection • Legal• Technical Cooperation• Facilitation

Key Committees

•Maritime Safety Committee– Safety pre-eminent

importance• Navigation

•Marine Environment Protection Committee– Focus pollution prevention and reposnse– Biological concerns with aquatic nuisance

species transferred through ballast water

and biofouling– Individual animal issues

• Ship strikes of right whales

Sub-Committees

• Bulk Liquid and Gases• Carriage of Dangerous Goods, Solid Cargoes and

Containers• Fire Protection• Flag State Implementation• Safety of Navigation• Ship Design and Equipment• Stability, Load Lines and Fishing Vessel Safety• Standards of Training and Watchkeeping

ASSEMBLY168 Member States, meets

every 2 years

COUNCIL40 States, every 6 months

TCC

SUB-COMMITTEES

SLF FSIBLGDSCNAVCOMSARDEFPSTW

FAL MSC MEPC LEG

IncidentIncident Proposal to IMOProposal to IMO CommitteeCommittee

Discussion, refer Discussion, refer to Sub-Committee, to Sub-Committee,

Working GroupWorking Group

Development of draft Development of draft Regulation, circular, Regulation, circular,

Code or resolutionCode or resolutionAdoption of Adoption of

new regulationnew regulation

Idea,Idea,developmentdevelopment

Progress of measures at IMO - example

Respective Roles

IMO - Develop safety and environment standards

Governments - Implement/Enforce the standards

Classification Societies - Survey and Certification

Shipping Companies - Apply the standards to their ships

Shipboard Personnel - Putting standards into operation

Application to real ships

Application to real ships

• More than 50 IMO Conventions• More than 100 protocols, guidelines,

recommendations etc• Almost every aspect of shipping

covered:DesignConstructionEquipmentMaintenanceCrewDischarges/emissions

Safety and security

• SOLAS (Safety of life at sea)

• STCW (Training/Watch keeping)

• Load lines (Cargo safety limits)

• COLREGS (Collision avoidance)

• SUA (Suppression of Unlawful Acts)

• ISPS Code (Port Security)

Pollution prevention

• MARPOL 73/78• Intervention 69/73• London Dumping 72 and

Protocol 96• Anti-fouling 2001• Ballast water management

2004• Wreck removal 2004• Ship Recycling 2009

Search and rescue/pollution response and compensation

• SAR

• OPRC (oil) -

• OPRC-HNS Protocol

• Liability and Compensation –

CLC; FUND; BUNKER; HNS Conv

Uptake across the world• SOLAS 98.79% world

tonnage• COLREGS 98.50%• STCW 98.77% • MARPOL(I&II) 98.34%• MARPOL(97 Prot) 74.73%

• OPRC 90 65.17%• OPRC-HNS 17.83%• AFSC 01 62.69%

Remember IMO instruments to protect the marine environment

from shipping are:

– SOLAS, COLREGS (safety)– MARPOL (operational/accidental discharges)– Intervention Convention (threats to coast)– Anti-fouling Systems Convention (toxic chemicals)– Ballast Water Management Convention

(invasive species) – OPRC (& HNS) – (oil/chemical spill) and the

London Convention/Protocol (dumping at sea of wastes)

MARPOL

• 6 annexes cover ship-generated pollution (oil, NLS, Sewage, Garbage and air emissions)

• Ensures ships are adequately designed, equipped, certified and inspected

• Requires States to deal with wastes – reception facilities

• Applies to all ships (oil and gas exploration exempted)

AFS – Convention (2001)

• AIM: to reduce or eliminate adverse effects on the marine environment and human health caused by anti-fouling systems

• Convention entered into force on 17 September 2008

Ballast Water Management Convention (2004)

AIM: Prevent, minimize and ultimately eliminate the risks to the environment, ……. arising from the transfer of harmful aquatic organisms and pathogens.

….through the control and management of ships’ ballast water and sediments, ….

Convention is not yet in force

OPRC Convention and the OPRC-HNS ProtocolOPRC Convention and the OPRC-HNS Protocol

Basic Obligations under OPRC and Regional Agreement:

Establish and maintain a national response system

Exchange of information

Early notification/Reporting

Mutual assistance

• London ConventionPromote the effective control of all sources of marine pollution– Contracting Parties shall take

effective measures to prevent pollution of the marine environment caused by dumping at sea.

• 1996 ProtocolProtect the marine environment from all sources of pollution– Contracting Parties

shall take effective measures to prevent, reduce and where practicable eliminate marine pollution caused by dumping or incineration of wastes at sea.

Other International Agreements to protect marine environment:

• Land-based pollution

Basel Convention 1989Global Programme of Action 1995

Atmospheric pollution

Kyoto Protocol 1992Stockholm Convention 2001

Interplay between international agreements

Healthy oceans

Sea-based inputs Land-based inputs Atmospheric inputs

MARPOL,OPRC, BWM,

AFSC, etc

BaselGPAUNCLOS

Regional agreements

POPUNFCCC-

KyotoIMOBiodiversity

ICRI

Summary

IMO

• Is a specialized UN agency

• Develops global regulations to ensure that shipping is safe, secure, efficient and environmentally friendly

• With a global coverage for a truly global industry and the community as a whole

Thank you for your attention

Any questions!