IMO
New Platform Set to Improve Information Sharing on Migrant Smuggling by Sea
A new inter-agency platform for information sharing on migrant smuggling by sea has been launched today (6 July) by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), in order to better understand unsafe mixed migration by sea.
It is anticipated that the platform will assist in improved monitoring of incidents associated with unsafe and irregular mixed migration by sea, on a global basis, with a view to better analysis of trends.
The IMO/IOM/UNODC platform will include a joint database on migrant incidents and on suspected smugglers and vessels. A revised reporting format for States, international organizations and relevant non-governmental organizations to submit information to the database was recently agreed at IMO’s Maritime Safety Committee (MSC 95).
The joint information sharing platform was initiated following the Inter-agency High-level Meeting to Address Unsafe Mixed Migration in March, which was held at IMO Headquarters, London with the aim of aim of facilitating dialogue and promoting enhanced cooperation and harmonization between United Nations agencies, international organizations, non-governmental organizations, Governments and the shipping industry. That meeting agreed on the need for timely and accurate information on migrant incidents and on suspected smugglers and vessels.
The joint platform is hosted on IMO’s Global Integrated shipping Information System (GISIS) and will include publicly accessible data (via https://gisis.imo.org/Public/MIGRANT/Incidents.aspx ) and restricted access information for Member States.
Source: IMO
IOMOU to Join Paris & Tokyo MOU for CIC on Crew Familiarization for Enclosed Space Entry
The member Authorities of the Indian Ocean Memorandum of Understanding (IOMOU) will embark on a concentrated inspection campaign (CIC) on Crew Familiarization for Enclosed Space Entry. The three month campaign will start on September 1, 2015 and end on November 30, 2015. The campaign shall be conducted simultaneously with the Paris MoU, Tokyo MoU and other MoUs.
The purpose of this CIC is to get a detailed insight of the compliance with the relevant Conventions/ Regulations as applicable. During the campaign period, member Authorities of the IOMOU will inspect within the resources available, as many ships as possible in conjunction with routine port State control inspections.
Port State Control Officers (PSCOs) will apply a questionnaire listing nine selected areas to be covered during the concentrated inspection. The areas includes training of crew members responsible for testing the atmosphere in enclosed spaces and familiarization with the relevant equipments and identify and understand the hazards associated with the entry into enclosed space.
Deficiencies found during the inspection will be recorded by the PSCOs and actions may vary from recording a deficiency and instructing the master to rectify it within a certain period to detaining the ship until serious deficiencies have been rectified. The results of the campaign will be analyzed and findings will be presented to the IOMOU Committee for submission to the International Maritime Organization.
Source: IMOU
South Korean Candidate Wins IMO’s Secretary General Election
Lim Ki-tack, president of Busan Port Authority (BPA), has been elected as the next secretary general of the IMO.
Lim taken lead from other five contestants from Denmark, Russia, Cyprus, The Philippines and Kenya in a vote at the 40-member IMO Council today. Council’s decision will be put to the IMO Assembly for approval in November this year.
The incumbent secretary general is Japanese Koji Sekimizu, whose term will expire at the end of this year. Mr. Lim will take over from Mr. Sekimizu and his term will be of 4 years. It is the second time for a Korean to run for the position after Chae I-sik, a law professor at Korea University, did in 2011.
Following is the list of candidates, who were contesting for the post:
- Andreas Chrysostomou, Cyprus, Acting Director of the Department of Merchant Shipping
- Vitaly Klyuev, Russia, Deputy Director of the Department of State Policy for Maritime and River Transport
- Ki-tack Lim, South Korea, head of the Busan Port Authority
- Dr Maximo Q. Mejia Jr, Philippines, head of the Philippine Marine Industrial Authority
- Andreas Nordseth, Denmark, Director General of the Danish Maritime Authority
- Juvenal Shiundu, Kenya, Kenya’s representative at IMO
Lim’s has also served as chairman of the Sub-Committee on Flag State Implementation (FSI) at the IMO. He graduated with a bachelors degree in nautical science from Korea Maritime University, and also holds a master’s in political science and in maritime safety administration.
IMO Coouncil to Vote Today for New IMO Secretary
IMO Council members is voting to to elect one of six candidates to replace Japan’s Koji Sekimizu as secretary-general of the IMO at the end of this year. The winner will be serving a four year term.
Following candidates are in run for the post:
1. Andreas Chrysostomou, Cyprus
2. Juvenal Shiundu, Kenya
3. Vitaly Klyuev, Russia
4. Andreas Nordseth, Denmark
5. Lim Ki-tack, South Korea
6. Maximo Q. Mejia Jr, Philipines
Shall update once the results are declared.
Day of Seafarer-Career at Sea
The day of the seafarer is an official United Nations international observance day held every year on the 25 June. Organised by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) with an aim to reach millions of people worldwide. This year the International Maritime Organization is shifting its focus to maritime education
This year’s campaign aims to inspire young people to consider a career at sea. Seafaring is a viable, attractive and exciting option for those making their career or further-education decisions. However, many may not be aware of such attractive job options.
IMO’s aim of the Day of the Seafarer 2015 is to:
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Engage seafarers themselves to inform about (and share photos of) their life at sea and be ambassadors for their own industry.
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Promoting the materials gathered from seafarers with the aim of reaching the general global population and inspiring them to consider a career at sea.
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Raising awareness of seafarers and their importance to the global economy to the general public
The following are ways which the maritime industry can be involved:
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If you are a seafarer or working in the maritime industry, tweet using the hashtag #CareerAtSea.
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If you are a considering a career at sea or enrolled in a martime programme – tweet using the hashtag #CareerAtSea or post your photo at the IMO photo wall. Website address will be announced soon.
IMO has released Tool kit for Day of the Seafarer 2015 which inlcudes animation video and IMO Secretary-General video message.
AMSA GENERAL MANAGER ELECTED CHAIRMAN OF INTERNATIONAL MARTIME SAFETY COMMITTEE
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority’s (AMSA) Navigation Safety and International Relations General Manager Brad Groves has been elected as Chairman of the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Maritime Safety Committee for 2016.
The election was conducted on 11 June, 2015 during the 95th session of MSC at the IMO’s headquarters in London.
The Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) is the International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) senior technical body on safety-related matters, and the appointment is a major achievement in the maritime industry.
Mr Groves has been working at AMSA since 1998, and he was appointed General Manager of the then Maritime Standards Division at AMSA in 2010, before heading up Navigation Safety and International Relations.
His current role has responsibility over a number of maritime safety matters, aids to navigation, the management of vessel tracking, coastal pilotage plus government and international coordination matters.
Mr Groves first became involved with the IMO in 2001. He has previously chaired the IMO sub-committee on Human Element, Training and Watch keeping, and prior to becoming MSC Chairman, Mr Groves headed up Australia’s delegation to the MSC and supported AMSA’s Chief Executive Officer at IMO Council.
He has also been responsible for Australia’s involvement in regional arrangements such as the Asia Pacific Heads of Maritime Safety Agencies (APHoMSA).
Mr Groves said he was honoured and humbled to be elected as chairman of the Maritime Safety Committee, and was looking forward to delivering appropriate outcomes for the maritime community.
“Shipping is one of the world’s great industries but it does have its hazards. It’s long been clear that the best way of improving safety at sea is by developing international regulations that are followed by all shipping nations. This remains at the core of the work of the Maritime Safety Committee and the IMO overall,” Mr Groves said.
“I have seen many issues discussed since I was first involved in MSC discussions. Despite the progress we have made, we still have large responsibilities ahead and I look forward to progressing this important work,” he said.
Mr Groves also expressed his appreciation for the work of previous MSC Chairman, Christian Breinholt, Deputy Director-General of the Danish Maritime Authority
Source: AMSA
EEDI Verification & Speed Trail
In order to determine the ship’s attained EEDI required by MARPOL ANNEX VI, the ship speed in calm sea conditions is to be calculated based on the speed trial results. Since the ISO standard which is prescribed in IMO’s guidelines on survey and certification of EEDI as the methods for conduct/analysis of speed trial has been revised recently, ClassNK issued guidance on the effective date and relevant requirements of the new standard.
1. Background
In MEPC 62 held in July 2011, some issues to the existing ISO15016 (2002 edition) were pointed out by European shipowners and research institutes, and IMO urged ISO and ITTC to review the standard. In response to it, ISO and ITTC commenced their collaborative work at WG17 formed under the umbrella of ISO/TC8/SC6, and developed the draft international standard with the addition of new tidal correction method called “Iterative method”, while incorporating the basic concept of ITTC recommended procedure (2012 edition). Following the completion of prescribed procedure within ISO, new ISO standard has been published on 1 April 2015 as ISO15016:2015.
2. Application of ISO15016:2015
In MEPC 68 held in this May, it was agreed to revise the guidelines on survey and certification of EEDI to refer ISO15016:2015 as the conduct/analysis method to be used for speed trial of the ships. Further, as a result of the deliberations on the application of new ISO standard, it was agreed to recommend the use of ISO15016:2015 to ships for which the speed trial for EEDI verification is conducted on or after 1 September 2015. An early implementation of the new ISO standard prior to that date is encouraged as well, with no problem for EEDI verification.
3. Major change items of the conduct/analysis method of speed trial
For the major changes associated with the revision of ISO standard, please refer to Attachment 1.
In ISO15016:2015, the various kinds of constraint conditions, which is no provisions in 2002 edition, in relation to the preparation/conduct methods of speed trial are to be added as well as a changing of the analysis method of speed trial data. Therefore, the extra care is needed if the speed trial scheduled on or after 1 September 2015 and/or based on the new ISO standard for the first time is planned.
The guidance shall be further updated by Class NK
Source: Class NK
Transport Canada implements additional measures for dead ship towing operations
Recent failures in dead ship towing operations resulting in the loss of the tow have illustrated the need for additional oversight of such operations. Transport Canada published Ship Safety Bulletin highlighting additional safety measures being taken to assess the safety of a dead ship towing operation prior to departing Canada on an international voyage.
International Maritime Organization (IMO) Guidelines for Safe Ocean Towing (MSC/Circ.884) provide important information for a safe towing operation covering such areas as; planning and preparation, environmental considerations, and requirements for the towing vessel, the towing equipment and the towed object. These Guidelines can be viewed at:http://www.imo.org/blast/blastDataHelper.asp?data_id=1798
The towing vessel’s master is responsible for ensuring the safety of the towing operation and that the towing arrangements are adequate for the intended voyage.
Transport Canada Marine Safety and Security has implemented a policy to conduct a safety assessment of dead ship towing operations prior to departure from Canada on its international voyage. This safety assessment has the aim of achieving the objectives set out by the IMO Guidelines is for Safe Ocean Towing (MSC/Circ.884).
In addition, foreign towing vessels will be subject to a Port State Control inspection at the same time as the safety assessment of the towing operation.
The owner, operator or master of the towing vessel for the dead ship towing operation should contact the nearest Transport Canada Centre with Marine Safety Services to arrange for the safety assessment as early as possible to avoid any potential delays.
Source: Transport Canada
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