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TRACECA REGIONAL SEMINAR ON

MARPOL

AWARENESS AND IMPLEMENTATION

Moldova – 21 to 23 July 2015

Overview of the work of IMO

Dr Ken McDonald

International Maritime Organization

• Specialized UN agency with a global mandate

for addressing maritime issues

• Mandate

Safe, secure and efficient shipping on cleaner oceans

IMO Convention

• Adopted Geneva 1948

• Entered into force 1958

• First IMO meeting 1959

IMO – specialised UN agency

• London headquarters

• Annual budget £25+ million

• Secretariat – 300 staff

• 50 Nationalities

Global coverage

•171 Member States

•All major ship owning nations

•All major coastal states

• IGOs and NGOs

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IMO and Passenger Ship Safety

Shipping related pollution prevention and response

IMO and the Marine Environment

Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter

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Many of the international treaty instruments adopted by IMO so far are directly environmentally related (>40%)

In the marine environment, IMO deals mainly with issues regarding:

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IMO and Passenger Ship SafetyIMO and the Marine Environment

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Shipping related pollution prevention and response

IMO’s mandate covers a wide range of issues to

prevent and control pollution caused by ships and to

mitigate the effects of any damage that may occur as

a result of maritime operations and accidents

Pollution Prevention – Oil and

Chemicals

• Operational and construction

regulations introduced by

MARPOL, together with other

related instruments, have been

successful in protecting the ocean

environment

Preparedness for and Response to

Pollution Incidents

• OPRC 1990 and the OPRC-HNS

Protocol 2000 address the

preparedness aspects and

response to incidents involving oil

and hazardous

noxious substances.

Shipping related activities

Liability and compensation

• International Convention on Civil Liability for

Oil Pollution Damage (CLC ‘92)

• The International Fund for Compensation for

Oil Pollution Damage and Supplementary

Fund (IOPC Funds)

• International Convention on Civil Liability for

Bunker Oil Pollution Damage (Bunkers

Convention)

• The International Convention on Liability and

Compensation for Damage in Connection

with the Carriage of Hazardous and Noxious

Substances (2010 HNS Convention )

Shipping related activities

Protecting the biodiversity of the oceans

• In 2004, IMO adopted the Ballast Water

Management Convention, addressing one

of the main vectors for transfer of invasive

aquatic species

• Control of harmful antifouling systems

(AFS Convention)

• A first set of international recommendations

to address biofouling of ships were

adopted in 2011

Shipping related activities

Ship recycling

• The most environmentally friendly way

to dispose of ships

• Many components are re-used into

new ships, agricultures, hospitals,

homes, etc.

• The Hong Kong International

Convention for the Safe and

Environmentally Sound Recycling of

Ships was adopted in 2009

Shipping related activities

Other related issues

• Sewage and garbage

Establishing special measures and

protected areas

• 14 Particularly Sensitive Sea Areas

(PSSAs) designated by IMO

• 20 Special Areas and 4 Emission

Control Areas established under

MARPOL

Shipping related activities

Existing PSSAs

IMO’s STRUCTURE

ASSEMBLY

COUNCIL

MEPC MSC FAL LEG TCC

DSC STW

SLF

COMSARNAV

DE FP

FSIBLG

ESPH

TILL 31 DECEMBER 2013

PPR

CCC

III

HTW

NCSR

SSE & SDC AFTER 31 DECEMBER 2013

+ OPRC

• Safety of navigationNAV

• Communications & Search and rescueCOMSAR

• Flag State ImplementationFSI• Standards of Training and

WatchkeepingSTW

• Design & EquipmentDE• Stabiltiy, loadlines and fishing

vessels safetySLF

• Fire protectionFP

• Dangerous goods, solids and containersDSC

• Bulk liquids and gases (+ESPH)BLG

NCSRSub-Committee on Navigation,

Communications and Search and Rescue

IIISub-Committee on Implementation of IMO

Instruments

HTWSub-Committee on Human Element,

Training and Watchkeeping

SSE

&

SDC

Sub-Committee on Ship Systems and

Equipment

&

Sub-Committee on Ship Design and

Construction

CCCSub-Committee on Carriage of Cargoes

and Containers

PPRSub-Committee on Pollution Prevention

and Response

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IMO’S STANDARD-SETTING PROCESS

The standards set by IMO generally take the form of:

Conventions or Protocols

Amendments to Conventions or Protocols

Codes, Guidelines, Recommendations, etc.

The process phases from adoption to implementation/enforcement:

Adoption, after discussion/approval in IMO

Entry into force internationally

Implementation (by flag States)

Enforcement (by port States)

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RESPECTIVE ROLES

IMO

To 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 the standards into operation

Meetings of MEPC

MEPC usually holds 3 meetings in each biennium, so it meets about every 8 months

During each meeting Working Groups are held to develop technical details of either new conventions, guidelines to existing conventions, amendments to existing conventions

Drafting Groups also meet to consider drafting of new or amended text

Correspondence Groups meet intersessionally to progress current issues

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Typical Agenda points for MEPC

Harmful aquatic organisms in ballast water (RG)

Recycling of Ships (WG)

Air pollution and energy efficiency (WG)

Reduction of GHG emissions from ships

Consideration and adoption of amendments to mandatory instruments (DG)

Interpretations of and amendments to, MARPOL and related instruments

Identification of Special Areas and Particularly Sensitive Sea Areas (WG)

Inadequacy of reception facilities

Reports of sub-committees

Technical co-operation activities

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Thank you!

www.imo.org