• 2012 November 15 17:35

    IMO Council endorses evolutionary Sub-Committee restructuring

    The IMO Council, meeting for its 109th session in London has endorsed, in principle, a restructuring of IMO's Sub-Committees, in order to better address the technical and operational issues covered by IMO regulations, as part of a review and reform process initiated by Secretary-General Mr. Koji Sekimizu aimed at ensuring the Organization meets current challenges as a forward-looking, efficient and cost-conscious Organization.
     
    IMO’s main technical Committees, the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) and the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) were invited to consider the proposals, which could see the number of Sub-Committees reduced from nine to seven, potentially saving four meeting weeks per biennium.
     
    Under the proposals:
     
    • The Sub-Committee on Bulk Liquids and Gases (BLG) would be renamed the Sub-Committee on the Environment, and would be tasked with dealing exclusively with environment-related matters, to allow the MEPC to delegate preliminary technical/scientific discussions to a sub-committee;
     
    • The Sub-Committee on Dangerous Goods, Solid Cargoes and Containers (DSC) would be renamed as the Sub-Committee on Cargoes (to include both wet and dry cargoes), in order to address all cargo issues in one sub-committee;
     
    • The Sub-Committee on Radiocommunications, Search and Rescue (COMSAR) and the Sub-Committee on Navigation (NAV) would be amalgamated, into a combined single sub-committee, reflecting the fact that there is increasing commonality in much of the work of COMSAR and NAV, relating to the operation of IT-based equipment, its use and its integration, including e-navigation. There would need to be further discussion on how search and rescue issues would be dealt with, and the Council requested further information on how this would impact on the work of the Joint IMO/International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Working Group on SAR which, among other things, reviews and develops draft amendments to the International Aeronautical and Maritime Search and Rescue (IAMSAR) Manual;
     
    • The Ship Design and Equipment, Fire Protection, and Stability, Load Lines and Fishing Vessel Safety Sub-Committees would be amalgamated into two new technical sub-committees:  One Sub-Committee to address ship design, stability and related codes, whilst the other Sub-Committee would address equipment issues related to fire safety and life-saving;  and
     
    • The Sub-Committee on Flag State Implementation (FSI) would be renamed the Sub-Committee on Implementation, to reflect the fact that its work has been increasingly addressing issues related to the implementation of IMO instruments – not only for flag States but also for port and coastal States.
     
    For the time being, the Sub-Committee on Standards of Training and Watchkeeping Is unaffected by the proposals.
     
    The last review of the sub-committee structure was in the 1996-1997 biennium when the number of Sub-Committees was reduced from 11 to 9 (BLG, COMSAR, DE, DSC, FP, FSI, NAV, SLF and STW).
     
    First “PaperSmart” IMO meeting a success
    The Council meeting was the first “PaperSmart” meeting for the Organization, and was considered a success by delegates.
     
    Delegates were invited to make the meeting "paperless" (PaperSmart), to reduce costs and make IMO meetings "environment friendly".  Delegates were asked to come to the meeting with their own laptops, tablet computers, etc., together with their own Internet cables to connect to wired access points in the main meeting room. An enhanced wireless facility (Wifi) was provided for improved wireless access to the IMO documents site (IMODOCS) and to the Internet.
     
    Parallel events in Peru and Morocco in 2013 and 2014
    The Council decided to accept the offers made by the Governments of Peru and Morocco to host the IMO World Maritime Day parallel events in 2013 and 2014, respectively, and expressed its deep appreciation to both Governments for their offers.

    The Council also noted, with pleasure, that the eighth World Maritime Day parallel event had been successfully organized, jointly by the Government of Bahrain and IMO, in Manama, on 17 and 18 October 2012.  The Council expressed its appreciation to the Government of Bahrain (in particular the Ministry of Transport) for hosting a successful event.
     
    IMO Member State Audit Scheme
    The Council noted the progress being made towards making the IMO audit scheme mandatory, through the development of the draft IMO Instruments Implementation Code (III Code), which sets the standard for the IMO audit scheme, and draft amendments to a number of treaties to make the III Code and auditing mandatory.
     
    With regards to the Voluntary IMO Member State Audit Scheme, 68 Member States and two Associate Members have formally indicated their readiness to be audited. This represents about 40% of the membership of the Organization.  Since the actual commencement of audits, in September 2006, 50 Member States, two Associate Members and five dependent territories have been audited with one more audit scheduled for this year. Of the remaining Member States still to be audited of the 68 that have so far volunteered, four have now committed to be audited in 2013, with the possibility of eight more to be confirmed at a later date.
     
    The Council encouraged Member States that had not yet volunteered to be audited, to do so as early as possible. Member States were also encouraged to nominate more individuals for inclusion in the roster of auditors. To date, 214 individuals have been nominated for inclusion, from 63 Member States and one Associate Member, from all geographical regions of the world.
     
    The Council discussed the issue of confidentiality in the context of a mandatory audit scheme; and decided that the release of the executive summary report and the Member State's comments on the implementation of its corrective action plan to the public or Member States will be subject to the authorization of the Member State concerned prior to the audit.  The Council also agreed to keep this aspect of the mandatory scheme under review.


2024 March 29

13:40 HD KSOE and Infineon sign MoU to develop ship electrification technology
13:29 NYK and JMU formulate method for evaluating ship performance in actual seas
12:59 HD Hyundai wins US$463 mln warship order in Peru
12:09 COSCO SHIPPING Ports throughput up by 4.4% YoY to 135,808,554 TEU in 2023
11:46 The "Ane Maersk" calls at the Eurogate container terminal in Hamburg for the first time on its maiden voyage from Asia to Europe
11:20 Sallaum Lines and Fujian Mawei Shipbuilding commence construction of Ocean Class vessels
10:43 Oasis Marine develops solutions for offshore hydrogen bunkering
10:03 Petrofac secures contract extension with ONEgas West in the UK market

2024 March 28

18:05 Jan De Nul, ENGIE and Equans launch a pilot project centred around the use of Vanadium Redox Flow batteries
17:35 Latvian port equipment manufacturer Bleste introduces new bulk handling ‘bucket’
17:05 Investors upgrade Navios Maritime Partners
16:25 DEME reports 22% increase in the orderbook and a record-high turnover of 3.3 billion euros in 2023
16:14 MABUX: Bunker Outlook, Week 13, 2024
15:41 AD Ports Group announced the opening of Saadiyat Marina & Ferry Terminal and Rabdan Marina
15:11 Sydney invests $11.5 million in two new operational vessels designed by Incat Crowther
14:55 China’s Jinzhao wins Peru $405m port construction contract
14:13 APM Terminals Moín handled six million TEU
13:48 ClassNK grants Innovation Endorsements for Products & Solutions to two innovative initiatives by MOL
13:37 Konecranes launches its flagship Konecranes X-series industrial crane
12:53 United European Car Carriers UECC spearheads collaboration with industry leaders to advance CNSL as a sustainable marine fuel
12:26 Ocean Network Express announces Transpacific service
11:48 Yang Ming announces 2025 Trans-Pacific service network
11:24 Fincantieri signs contract for the supply of two PPAs to Indonesia
10:42 Maersk transported more than 660,000 TEU using clean fuel in 2023
10:23 Documentation delays push industry costs to $3bn
09:48 PONANT and FARWIND Energy partner to develop green hydrogen refueling solutions

2024 March 27

18:22 Bureau Veritas awards world’s first prototype certification for SolarDuck’s floating offshore solar solution
17:58 The recently converted Allseas's shallow water pipelay barge starts preparations for its first commercial project
17:38 The Port of Rotterdam calls on the European Commission and Parliament to focus on actively promoting green energy
15:23 SEFE to become sole shareholder of WIGA
14:53 Ocean Installer secures yet another SLM contract with Equinor
14:23 Cadeler signs offshore wind turbine installation contract for the vessel Wind Scylla
13:42 Carnival Cruise Line orders 5th Excel-class cruise ship
13:11 Maersk and MSC overcharging cargo owners for EU ETS, says T&E
12:52 The Port Authority of Valencia launches the ZAL project in the Port of Valencia
12:11 Clarkson Port Services and Peak Group collaborate to deliver Port Agency services across the North Sea
11:42 Wan Hai Lines holds ship naming ceremony for new vessels
11:24 Consolidated shipping lines EBIT loss was $1.44 billion in Q4 2023: Sea-Intelligence
10:49 Seaspan Shipyards receives long-term contracts for the pre-construction work of the the Canadian Coast Guard's first six multi-mission vessels
10:14 Woodside completes sale of 10% scarborough interest

2024 March 26

18:02 COSCO Shipping Lines introduces new Americas service
17:30 Davie awarded first contract for design of icebreaker fleet under Canada’s National Shipbuilding Strategy
17:04 Sanctions complicate Arctic LNG ship sales, Hanwha Ocean says - Bloomberg
16:57 Terntank places an order for 1+1 additional wind/ methanol-ready hybrid tanker
16:28 BW LNG completes acquisition of two TFDE vessels from Stena Bulk
15:50 Hanwha Ocean develops VR-based special vehicle simulator
15:20 TotalEnergies and SINOPEC join forces to produce sustainable jet fuel at a SINOPEC's refinery
14:52 Wärtsilä Lifecycle Agreement to guarantee operational reliability of new wind farm installation vessel
14:23 Hudong-Zhonghua launches two LNG carriers
13:51 Cargo ship hits Baltimore’s Key Bridge
13:12 Final sanctioned tanker with Russian Sokol oil to reach China port - Reuters
12:42 Adani Ports acquires 95% of Odisha's Gopalpur Port from SP Group for $162 million
12:21 IHI and Yara Clean Ammonia agree to jointly assess clean ammonia business collaboration
11:41 Yara Clean Ammonia and Azane granted safety permit to build world's first low emission ammonia bunkering terminal
11:16 Wartsila and Royal Caribbean Group celebrate 15 years of collaboration on digital transformation
10:46 A global carbon tax on shipping is coming, says ABS Chairman and CEO
10:21 Eni, Fincantieri and RINA establish partnership for maritime transport decarbonization

2024 March 25

18:07 The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore continues to investigate reports of oil spills off the port of Tuas
17:31 “K” Line, NIPPON HAKUYO and OPT Gate sign an agreement for a new fire detection system for car carriers
17:07 Greek merchant fleet recorded slight decline in January 2024
16:47 Hanwha Ocean Plans to develop green technology and naval ships
16:25 U-Ming Singapore and ITOCHU sign milestone MoU for the joint development of ammonia dual-fuel and de-carbonized vessels
15:34 Svitzer targets methanol-fuelled MAN 175DF-M engine for tug application
15:04 Wallenius Wilhelmsen signs contracts for four 9,300 CEU vessels with China Merchants Jinling Shipyard
14:40 Taiwan International Port to upgrade terminal facility at Kaohsiung
13:59 Сruise ship Carnival Freedom catches fire near Bahamas
12:59 Hanwha Ocean wins 2.4 tln-won order for 8 LNG ships
11:16 Inland Ports meet in Paris to talk about the innovation potential of inland ports
10:50 IMO agrees possible outline for maritime “net-zero framework”
10:24 Hapag-Lloyd to continue to avoid the Red Sea route