Auditing IMO Member States to assess how effectively they implement and enforce key IMO instruments is an important part of the Organization's work to ensure that its regulatory framework for the shipping industry is universally adopted and implemented.

As part of work to address an increased demand for audit team leaders (ATLs), a course for auditors under the IMO Member State Audit Scheme (IMSAS) is being held at IMO Headquarters in London (23-27 October). It is the fourth such course to take place since the introduction of IMSAS. All Member States are required to undergo an audit within the seven-year cycle established under the Scheme.

Those participating in this week's audit leadership training have previously been part of teams which have conducted audits under IMSAS since 2018, and who are deemed now to be prospective future leaders. 

Audit Team Leaders can expect to conduct up to 25 audits of Member States a year. The course is designed to develop the skills needed to lead teams in preparing, conducting and reporting from audits in accordance with the IMSAS Framework and Procedures (resolution A.1067(28)), using the IMO Instruments Implementation (III) Code (resolution A.1070(28)) as the audit standard.

Auditors were nominated for the training by 11 countries: Bangladesh, the Congo, Egypt, Finland, India, Lebanon, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Panama, Romania, Sweden, and Uruguay.

Audits became mandatory in January 2016. To date, 114 mandatory audits have been carried out.