Introduction

Stowaways, illicit drug trafficking, attacks on a ship in port by armed robbers. Security issues are a key priority for ships, alongside safety and marine pollution prevention.

The shipmaster may have done nothing to invite such activities on board the ship, but can face delays in port as the problems are dealt with.

IMO's Facilitation Committee addresses these issues as well as other matters relating to implementation of the Convention on Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic (FAL Convention). The Convention was adopted in 1965 to prevent unnecessary delays in maritime traffic, to aid co-operation between Governments, and to secure the highest practicable degree of uniformity in formalities and other procedures.

Traditionally, large numbers of documents are required by customs, immigration, health and other public authorities pertaining to a ship, its crew and passengers, baggage, cargo and mail. Unnecessary paperwork is a problem in most industries, but the potential for red tape is probably greater in shipping than in other industries, because of its international nature and the traditional acceptance of formalities and procedures.

In its Annex, the FAL Convention contains "Standards" and "Recommended Practices" on formalities, documentary requirements and procedures which should be applied on arrival, stay and departure to the ship itself, and to its crew, passengers, baggage and cargo. The Convention defines standards as internationally agreed measures which are "necessary and practicable in order to facilitate international maritime traffic" and recommended practices as measures the application of which is "desirable". IMO has developed eight standardized forms covering arrival and departure of persons and goods and is promoting the global use of electronic data interchange (EDI) to relay these forms between port and ship.

The Ship-Port Interface Working Group, which meets during the Facilitation Committee sessions and reports to the Facilitation, Maritime Safety and Marine Environment Protection Committees, works on specific issues such as the development of guidelines and manuals for terminal personnel.