Work to promote energy-efficient shipping is underway at the newly-established Caribbean Maritime Technology Cooperation Centre (MTCC) with a conference at the Centre’s headquarters at the University of Trinidad and Tobago (27-28 June). The Centre is part of the global network for energy-efficient shipping under the GMN project, funded by the European Union and run by IMO.
The conference is the first regional event to take place under the project, which has established a network of five such regional MTCCs. Together, they are promoting technologies and operations to improve energy efficiency in the maritime sector and help navigate shipping into a low-carbon future.
The Trinidad and Tobago event brings together senior maritime administrators, legal officers and technical specialists from twelve Caribbean islands including Trinidad and Tobago. Speakers will provide an overview of MTCC-Caribbean and its mandate for climate change mitigation, and the role of national maritime administrations. It is also focusing on the region’s ratification and implementation of IMO regulations for preventing air pollution from ships (via the MARPOL Annex VI treaty). A regional steering committee is being established to help achieve the MTCC-Caribbean’s goals.
Nearly 300 delegates from IMO Member States, international NGOs and intergovernmental organizations have gathered at IMO Headquarters in London for the first meeting of the Intersessional Working Group on Reduction of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions from Ships (26-30 June). Click here for photos. The group, which is meeting in a closed session, will provide a report to next week’s session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 71) (full preview here). The working group report will form the basis for further deliberation in relation to the elements set out in the Roadmap for developing a comprehensive IMO strategy on reduction of GHG emissions from ships, which was agreed at MEPC 70. An initial IMO GHG strategy is set to be adopted at MEPC 72 in spring 2018, including, inter alia, a list of candidate short-, mid- and long term further measures with possible timelines.
Also this week, a new Global Industry Alliance to support Low Carbon Shipping will be launched on Thursday (29 June), under the auspices of the GloMEEP project, the Global Environment Facility (GEF)-United Nations Development Program (UNDP)-IMO project aimed at supporting the implementation of energy efficiency measures for shipping, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions from shipping. For further information please see http://glomeep.imo.org/global-industry-alliance-gia/.
Seafarers’ rights to be treated fairly in all circumstances was the focus for an international workshop hosted at IMO (23 June). Addressing the Workshop on the Fair Treatment of Seafarers, organized by the International Transport Workers' Federation and Seafarers' Rights International, IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim highlighted Guidelines on fair treatment of seafarers in the event of a maritime accident adopted by IMO in 2006. They were developed by a Joint Working Group with the International Labour Organization and apply to all instances where seafarers may be detained by public authorities in the event of a maritime accident. (click for Mr. Kitack Lim’s speech).
The Guidelines aim to ensure that seafarers are treated fairly following a maritime accident and during any investigation and detention by public authorities and that detention is for no longer than necessary. During the workshop, participants from more than 50 States discussed guidance on implementing the Guidelines on the fair treatment of seafarers into national laws and highlighted the need to mutually cooperate to ensure the fair treatment of seafarers at a time when they are most vulnerable. The morning session was chaired by IMO’s Fred Kenney. The afternoon session was chaired by Dr. Kofi Mbiah, Chair of the IMO Legal Committee.
The workshop came ahead of the Day of the Seafarer on 25 June, which focused on the theme #SeafarersMatter.
IMO’s work to support countries to implement air pollution and energy efficiency measures for ships was underway at a workshop in Durban, South Africa this week (22-23 June). The event involved Port State Control Officers from South Africa and Kenya responsible for inspection and enforcement of the provisions in IMO’s MARPOL Annex VI treaty. This is the latest training workshop delivered under IMO’s GloMEEP project, and was carried out by a team of IMO consultants and hosted by the Department of Transport of South Africa.
Seafarer abandonment was the subject of a seminar held at IMO Headquarters, London (22 June) – a joint IMO-Consular Corps of London event. Diplomats and consular officers involved in dealing with abandonment cases heard speakers provide a variety of perspectives on the subject, including on the legal framework, seafarer support, the representation of seafarers' interests, and the flag State perspective. Click for photos.
In his opening remarks, IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim emphasized that continued cooperation between IMO, organizations such as the International Labour Organization (ILO), flag States, port States and shipowner groups was essential. "We have a human duty to protect seafarers, and we must not hide from it" Mr. Lim said.
The legal framework surrounding seafarer abandonment was presented by members of the IMO legal team, headed by Director Fred Kenney. Topics included a system overview by Jan de Boer focusing on the joint IMO-ILO database on reported incidents of abandonment of seafarers – a tool that is helping to provide a basis for solving abandonment cases.
Additionally, IMO guidelines on fair treatment of seafarers were introduced by Aicha Cherif. IMO strongly encourages States to implement these guidelines, which cover a series of measures covering seafarers' rights in the event of an accident, including in cases where a seafarer is detained by public authorities.
The abandonment seminar came ahead of Sunday's International Day of the Seafarer (25 June) taking place under the theme #SeafarersMatter. This year, the event is funded by the ITF Seafarers' Trust. ITF were represented at the abandonment seminar by Katie Higginbottom, who gave an insight into the reality of dealing with abandonment cases on the ground, and how ITF inspectors work to help abandoned seafarers with issues such as collecting back pay.
Participants also learned about the unique role of the port chaplain from representatives of the Mission to Seafarers.
The full list of speakers and topics of the seminar can be found here.
To keep abreast of the latest IMO standards, a three-day workshop to update Nigeria's National Maritime Transport Policy (NMTP) was held in Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria (19-21 June). Through IMO's Integrated Technical Cooperation Programme (ITCP), the event highlighted relevant legislative and administrative actions to be taken in order to ensure that the maritime sector continually contributes to the country's sustainable development.
The workshop also discussed the importance of strengthening the existing platform for improving maritime governance, inter-governmental cooperation and coordination amongst all stakeholders in the maritime sector. Forty participants attended the workshop including relevant ministries, maritime agencies as well as the host agency, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).
William Azuh, Head, Africa Section, Technical Cooperation Division, Dallas Laryea, IMO Regional Coordinator based in Accra, Ghana and Professors Max Mejia and Henning Jessen of the World Maritime University, facilitated the workshop.
The newly established GMN project on maritime technology cooperation, run by IMO and funded by the European Union, has held its first ever national workshop in Mombasa, Kenya (19-20 June). The event brought together 67 participants to discuss ways to bring shipping into a low carbon future. The event also allowed stakeholders to familiarize themselves with the project’s mission, vision and goals as well as gain deeper understanding of the project’s benefits and the different roles each will play in making the Maritime Technology Cooperation Centre of Africa (MTCC-Africa) a success.
Among the objectives set for the meeting was the very important concept of seeking support from other actors of the maritime industry to carry out pilot projects such as voluntary data collection on fuel oil consumption and other projects relating to low carbon technologies. The workshop also emphasised the importance of engaging with national players in climate change mitigation to secure future collaboration and enable the project to live beyond the three-year timeline set by the EU funding. The workshop also served as an educational opportunity to learn about interventions by IMO and the EU on climate change, low carbon and energy efficient technologies, the effect of carbon dioxide emissions, costs and mitigation measures.
The GMN maritime technology project, run by IMO and funded by the European Union, has issued a call for expressions of interest from individuals within specified organizations to become members of the GMN Project’s Global Stakeholder Committee (GSC).
The GMN project has established a network of five regional Maritime Technologies Cooperation Centres (MTCCs). Together, they are promoting technologies and operations to improve energy efficiency in the maritime sector and help navigate shipping into a low-carbon future.
The Global Stakeholder Committee will meet to share ideas and provide long-term strategic guidance. Participation in the stakeholder committee is on a voluntary basis and no fees are paid. Further information and an online form is available on the GMN website: http://gmn.imo.org/stakeholder-participation/.
The IMO treaty covering the removal of wrecks has been part of discussions at the Wreck Removal Contracts and Operations Seminar in London (20-21 June). IMO’s Jan de Boer gave an overview of the Nairobi International Convention on the Removal of Wrecks, which provides the legal basis for States to remove, or have removed, shipwrecks that may threaten the safety of lives, goods and property at sea, as well as the marine environment.
The treaty applies to shipwrecks, objects from ships at sea, drifting ships and floating offshore installations. Having entered into force in 2015, the instrument currently has 36 Contracting States, which represent just over 70% of the world's merchant fleet tonnage.
Economic stability and sustainable development can be driven by an integrated approach to the maritime sector, including ports, maritime security and facilitation of maritime traffic. Joined-up government policies covering the whole of the maritime sector are critical for the port sector to flourish. These were among key messages delivered by IMO’s Chris Trelawny, who was speaking at the Port Security Technology conference, London, United Kingdom (20 June), which provided an opportunity to build on this year’s World Maritime Theme, “Connecting ships, ports and people”. The importance of IMO’s International Ship and Port Security (ISPS) Code and the IMO/International Labour Organization (ILO) Code of Practice on security in ports were highlighted as measures which went beyond the security angle, since ports support trade and development.
Mr. Trelawny encouraged governments to increase the representation of the port sector, border control authorities and related organizations at IMO meetings in order to enhance inter-agency cooperation and to foster better understanding of the implications and impact of IMO regulations on the port sector and vice versa.
Maritime educators from South Africa are taking part in an IMO training workshop to introduce the topic of energy-efficient ship operation into their teaching curriculums. The workshop, taking place in Durban (19-20 June) was developed under the Organization’s GloMEEP project and supports maritime training institutes to deliver the IMO Model Course 4.05 to seafarers.
The course consists of lectures, interactive exercises and videos to enhance the learning experience for crews being trained and, thereby, to help contribute to a reduction in fuel consumption on ships and cutting associated greenhouse gas emissions.
The training is being carried out by a team of IMO consultants and hosted by the Department of Transport of South Africa. It is the latest in a series of IMO national workshops of this kind – the previous one having taken place in Georgia in May this year.
Find out more about IMO's work on low carbon shipping and air pollution control, here.
With only ten days to go until Day of the Seafarers, IMO encourages everyone to join the campaign and show that #SeafarersMatter. Under this theme, the campaign is engaging people responsible for the world’s ports and seafarer centres to demonstrate how much seafarers matter to them by featuring great initiatives that support and promote seafarer welfare. These efforts are presented on a new virtual world map, which showcases best practices and helps celebrate seafarers. If you are organizing a Day of the Seafarer event or have facilities for seafarers at the port you work in - don’t miss the chance to feature on the map, here.
In addition, to kick off our ten day countdown, IMO is launching a brand new Day of the Seafarer quiz, testing your knowledge of ports, maritime affairs and IMO instruments. As in previous years, the Day of the Seafarer campaign is centered on social media, so join the movement and show your support online using the hashtag #SeafarersMatter and remember to check out and use our newly designed logo.
Find all campaign materials, including a seafarer photo wall, IMO Secretary-General video message and more, here.
Ukraine has ratified two important IMO treaties that help to protect the marine environment – the International Convention on Salvage and the Control of Harmful Anti-fouling Systems on Ships (AFS Convention). H.E. Natalia Galibarenko, Ambassador of Ukraine to the United Kingdom, met IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim at IMO Headquarters, London (15 June) to hand over the instruments of ratification.
A tanker collides with an unknown ship off the Ivorian coast, causing a major oil spill. This was the scenario of an oil spill training exercise that took place in Abidjan and Assinie, Côte d’Ivoire (8-9 June). The deployment exercise involved more than 100 participants from various public institutions and the private sector, working together to fight the simulated spill, first at sea and then ashore.
The event tested Côte d’Ivoire’s National Oil Spill Contingency Plan, which has been developed over recent years with support from the Global Initiative for West, Central and Southern Africa (GI WACAF) – a joint IMO-IPIECA project.
Following the training, which was organized by the Centre Ivoirien Anti Pollution (CIAPOL), GI WACAF will draft an evaluation report, which will help Ivorian authorities to further improve the Plan by identifying strengths and potential areas for improvement.
IMO’s Julien Favier of the GI WACAF project and a consultant from the French Navy, Lieutenant Charles-Henri Thouaille, participated in the exercise as observers on request of CIAPOL.
A meeting of countries in the Wider Caribbean Region is renewing regional coordination to help implement IMO’s Ballast Water Management Convention and thereby minimize the transfer of harmful aquatic organisms and pathogens in ships' ballast water.
Topics discussed at the workshop, being held in Panama City (5-9 June), include ways for moving ratification and implementation forward throughout the region; exchanging information; a revised regional strategic action plan; reestablishment of a regional task force; and lessons learned from the GloBallast project – set up to help implement the Convention. Read the GloBallast story here.
Seven thousand species are transferred in ballast water every hour of every day – find out about more via the ballast water in numbers infographic, here.
The regional meeting is organized by RAC/REMPEITC, through IMO’s Integrated Technical Cooperation Programme, with funding from the Malaysian Government.
This week has seen four more States become Party to IMO’s Ballast Water Management Convention, designed to counter the threat to marine ecosystems by potentially invasive species transported in ships' ballast water. The Convention enters into force on 8 September 2017 and will require ships to manage their ballast water, which can contain thousands of aquatic or marine microbes, plants and organisms, which are then carried across the globe.
The Bahamas deposited its instrument of accession on Thursday (8 June), following accession by Singapore (8 June), ratification by Australia (7 June) and accession by United Arab Emirates (6 June). Saudi Arabia became a Party in April. This brings the number of States party to the BWM Convention to 59, representing 65.18 % of the world's merchant fleet tonnage. (See photos).
In accordance with article 18 of the Convention, the Convention will enter into force on 8 September 2017 for these 59 States; for States depositing their instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession after 8 June 2017, the Convention will enter into force three months after the date of deposit of instrument.
During the 20th century, tiny organisms carried in the ballast water of ships began to be recognized as alien invasive species. These aquatic species were hitching a ride across the oceans and some were embedding themselves in new areas, multiplying and becoming harmful invasive aquatic species. The impacts on native species, local ecosystems and sea-based economies have, in some cases, been devastating. The story of how global partnerships, governments, industry, academia and other stakeholders came together to tackle this problem is told in a new publication, The GloBallast Story, launched (6 June) during a side event at the UN Ocean Conference in New York.
The publication outlines the key achievements of the GloBallast Partnerships Programme, executed by IMO in collaboration with the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The project was launched in 2007 after an initial 4-year phase and has been assisting developing countries to reduce the transfer of harmful aquatic organisms and pathogens in ships’ ballast water and implement the IMO Ballast Water Management (BWM) Convention.
The 10 most invasive species that can be transferred through ships’ ballast water are profiled in the publication, which also provides infographics, diagrams and detailed case histories.
The book was launched by Chris Severin from the GEF, Andrew Hudson from UNDP and Stefan Micallef from IMO, in the presence of Rear Admiral Brady from the Maritime Authority of Jamaica.
Revised safety requirements to ensure new-build passenger ships remain afloat after a major incident are among a set of amendments set for adoption by IMO’s Maritime Safety Committee (MSC), 98th session, which meets from 7-16 June. The revisions to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) chapter II-1, relating to subdivision and damage stability, follow a substantive review of SOLAS chapter II-1, focusing in particular on passenger ships. The review has taken into account recommendations arising from the investigation into the 2012 Costa Concordia incident.
Also up for adoption is the latest set of amendments to the International Maritime Solid Bulk Cargoes Code (IMSBC Code); as well amendments to a number of other Codes. Other items on the busy agenda include goal-based standards; maritime security, including cyber security; and adoption of new and amended ships’ routeing measures.
The MSC will also consider proposals for IMO to begin a scoping exercise to determine how the safe, secure and environmentally sound operation of autonomous ships might be introduced into IMO instruments. The MSC was opened by IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim and is being chaired by Mr. Brad Groves (Australia). (Click for photos.)
IMO's work within the UN system on unsafe mixed migration by sea was part of discussions at an event* at London's Queen Mary University as part of the 2nd Annual Conference of the Refugee Law Initiative (6 June). The safety of life at sea and maritime search and rescue are key remits which fall within IMO's competence.
IMO has jointly with United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Chamber of Shipping issued the guide to principles and practices as applied to persons rescued at sea, including migrants and refugees. The guide is available in six languages.
IMO's Jan de Boer provided an update on discussions at IMO on the subject, including at the Legal Committee, Maritime Safety Committee and Facilitation Committee. He also gave an overview of discussions at the 2015 High level Meeting to Address Unsafe Mixed Migration by Sea, hosted by IMO.
* Launch of the book 'Boat Refugees' and Migrants at Sea: A Comprehensive Approach – edited by Violeta Moreno-Lax (Queen Mary University of London) and Efthymios Papastavridis (Democritus University of Thrace, the Academy of Athens and Oxford University).
Kenya has become the 13th signatory* to the Jeddah Amendment to the Djibouti Code of Conduct – the instrument developed and adopted by countries in the Western Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden that has been a key factor in repressing piracy and armed robbery against ships operating in that region.
The Amendment significantly broadened the scope of the Djibouti Code when it was adopted at a high-level meeting in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia in January 2017. It covers measures for suppressing a range of illicit activities, including piracy, arms trafficking, trafficking in narcotics, illegal trade in wildlife, illegal oil bunkering, crude oil theft, human trafficking, human smuggling, and illegal dumping of toxic waste.
H.E. Mr. Lazarus Ombai Amayo, High Commissioner of Kenya to the United Kingdom, and Permanent Representative of Kenya to IMO, deposited the instrument at IMO Headquarters in London, today (6 June).
* Comoros, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Jordan, Kenya, Madagascar, Maldives, Mozambique, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, United Arab Emirates, United Republic of Tanzania and Yemen.
More efficient shipping, working in partnership with a port sector supported by governments, will be a major driver towards global stability and sustainable development for the good of all people. This was the message of IMO’s Chris Trelawny in his speech to the European Sea Ports Organisation’s annual conference in Barcelona, Spain (1-2 June).
Mr. Trelawny highlighted how IMO’s World Maritime Day theme for 2017, ‘Connecting Ships, Ports and People’, focuses on helping Member States to develop and implement maritime strategies to invest in a joined-up, interagency approach that addresses a wide range of issues. These issues include the facilitation of maritime transport, increasing efficiency, navigational safety, protection of the marine environment, and maritime security.
Key objectives include improving cooperation between port authorities and the shipping industry and developing a closer partnership between the two sectors; raising global standards and setting norms for the safety, security and efficiency of ports and for port and coastal State authorities; and standardizing port procedures through identifying and developing best practice guidance and training materials.
The audience at the Barcelona conference included senior figures from the European Commission, European Parliament, persons involved in managing various European ports, as well as European academics and relevant non-governmental organizations.
Monday sees the opening of a historical United Nations conference in New York that will set the course for implementation of the ocean-related Goal 14 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The Ocean Conference (5-9 June) will feature a high-level plenary session, several “partnership dialogues” and many more side events during which all aspects of SDG 14 and its sub-targets will be analysed and discussed. Among the expected outcomes of the conference will be a concise and focused declaration, agreed by governments, in the form of a "Call for Action" to support the implementation of Goal 14 and a list of “voluntary commitments” to reinforce that objective.
IMO’s delegation is headed by Secretary-General Kitack Lim, who will be speaking in several fora during the conference about IMO’s strong commitment to SDG 14. IMO has also registered a number of its own voluntary commitments, and will be hosting its own side event (alongside the Maritime Authority of Jamaica) which will explore how partnerships are transforming shipping to achieve SDG 14.
The Ocean Conference coincides with World Oceans Day (June 8) and is billed by the organisers as the “game changer that will reverse the decline in the health of our ocean for people, planet and prosperity.”
Skills necessary in dealing with maritime transnational organised crimes at sea, including, piracy, armed robbery against ships, drug trafficking, marine terrorism and more were at the core of a two-week training course which concluded today in Mombasa, Kenya (22 May – 2 June 2017). The course was conducted under the auspices of the JeddahAmendment to Djibouti Code of Conduct 2017, as a joint initiative between the East African Standby Force (EASF), Nordic Advisory and Coordination Staff (NACS) and IMO.
15 participants from the Djibouti Code of Conduct (DCoC) signatory states attended the event, namely: Comoros, Kenya, Seychelles and Sudan as well as Burundi and Uganda from the East African Standby Force.
Three experts from Norway and Sweden, three regional trainers from Kenya, Uganda and Sudan and IMO’s Kiruja Micheni, facilitated the training.
IMO’s highly successful collaboration with the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad) to deliver technical cooperation activities was in the spotlight in Oslo this week (30-31 May).
In addition to the annual IMO-Norad projects review meeting, IMO presented the Organization and its technical cooperation programme to senior officials from Norwegian ministries and NGOs*, highlighting in particular the IMO-Norad East Asia Project, which helped build capacity to implement IMO environment-protection conventions in six participating countries – with a view to identifying further cooperation opportunities.
IMO and Norad have a continuing and fruitful arrangement under which Norad has funded a number of important marine environment projects within the IMO Integrated Technical Cooperation Programme.
IMO was represented in Oslo by Jose Matheickal, Jonathan Pace, Helen Buni, Youngso Kim and Jun Sun.
* Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries, Ministry of Climate and Environment, and WWF Norway
IMO's work on environmental issues, including energy efficiency, GHG emissions, global sulphur cap and data collection system for fuel oil consumption, formed part of the keynote speech delivered by IMO's Heike Deggim at the Green Tech Conference in Florida, USA (30 May – 1 June). Ms Deggim reiterated IMO's strong commitment to ensuring that shipping meets its environmental obligations, pointing out the approval of a roadmap for developing a comprehensive IMO strategy on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from ships, among other things. The conference also looked at how to make the maritime transportation industry more sustainable by sharing information about emerging issues, improved benchmarking, greener technologies, and evolving best practices. A special presentation focused on clean ship innovations, underwater noise, and port air emission.
Green Marine is a voluntary environmental programme for the North American marine industry which encourages its participants to reduce their environmental footprint by taking concrete actions.