Turkey today (13 May 2016) became the latest country to ratify the Convention on Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic, or FAL Convention.
The FAL Convention's main objectives are 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. In particular, the Convention reduces the number of declarations which can be required by public authorities.
A revised and modernized annex to the convention was adopted in April this year and is due to enter into force on 1 January 2018. The revision is designed to ensure the FAL treaty adequately addresses the shipping industry’s present and emerging needs and serves to facilitate and expedite international maritime traffic. The objective is to prevent unnecessary delays to ships and to persons and property on board.
His Excellency Mr. Abdurrahman Bilgiç, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Turkey to IMO, deposited Turkey’s instrument of accession with Secretary-General Kitack Lim.