Whats New 2016
United Kingdom first to accept marine geoengineering amendments
The United Kingdom has become the first State to formally accept the 2013 marine geoengineering amendments to the 1996 “London Protocol”, the treaty covering dumping of wastes at sea. The amendments provide for specific marine geoengineering activities to be permitted only when the activity is assessed as constituting legitimate scientific research. Currently, only ocean fertilization for research purposes may be permitted. IMO Directors Frederick Kenney and Stefan Micallef welcomed Mr. Alan Beckwith, from the Treaty Section of the UK Foreign and Commonwealth office, who handed over the instrument of acceptance today (24 June). more...
Promoting national maritime transport policy in Saint Lucia
A national workshop in Saint Lucia has brought together participants from various Government bodies and other stakeholders to discuss the development of a national maritime transport policy. The workshop is aimed at highlighting the promotion and development of such a policy as a good governance practice to guide planning, decision making and relevant legislative action. IMO is running the workshop (22-24 June) in close cooperation with the Saint Lucia Airports and Seaports Authority (SLASPA) and the Permanent Mission of Saint Lucia to IMO. more...
Bangladesh ship recycling project makes good progress
Stakeholders have been updated on progress made by the safe and environmentally sound ship recycling in Bangladesh (SENSREC) project - Phase I, which is being executed and implemented by IMO and funded by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad), in partnership with the Ministry of Industries of Bangladesh and Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions (BRS). At a recent workshop (15 June), updates were given on the various parts of phase I of the project, including completion or near completion of various studies and ongoing training activities. more...
Learning about the legal framework of wreck removal
The legal and
operational aspects of wreck removal incidents are on the agenda at the “Wreck
Removal Contracts & Operations Seminar”
in London, United Kingdom (20-21 June). IMO’s Jan de Boer of the Legal Affairs
Office gave an insight into the Organization’s Nairobi Wreck Removal
Convention,
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. It also provides uniform international rules
for the prompt and effective removal of wrecks located beyond territorial seas, and
optional application of the rules in countries’ territories, including territorial
seas. more...
Cooperation to enhance maritime security in west and central Africa
Maritime security experts have met in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
(15-17 June) to share expertise on how cooperation on maritime surveillance
monitoring and communication systems in the South Atlantic can benefit
countries in west and central Africa. Delegates from 11 African countries, the
Brazilian Navy and various African regional organizations and other countries shared
their experiences and challenges in enhancing maritime security, with a view to
improving maritime security through better maritime governance, maritime
situation awareness and cooperation across the South Atlantic. more...
Sustainable use of the oceans
IMO will have an important contribution to make to the UN 2017 Oceans Conference, which is being co-hosted by Fiji and Sweden from 5 to 9 June 2017 and aims to support the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14 (Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development). Preparations for the 2017 Oceans Conference were discussed when Stefan Micallef, IMO’s Director, Marine Environment Division, met the representative of the co-host, H.E. Ambassador Mr Peter Thomson, Permanent Representative of Fiji to the United Nations and President-elect for the 71st session of the UN General Assembly. more...
IMO Secretary-General in Romania
IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim has highlighted the crucial work of maritime training institutes to train and equip new generations of seafarers and other shipping personnel, during a visit (16 June) to the Romanian Maritime Training Centre CERONAV, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary. Mr Lim congratulated CERONAV for its work and commended Romania for its participation in the IMO Maritime Ambassadors Scheme. On Friday (17 June), Mr Lim met Romanian senior Government officials. more...
Together towards cleaner oceans
IMO is
contributing to a United Nations meeting
covering marine debris, plastics and microplastics in New York (13-17 June).
Discussions are focusing on information exchange between key players involved
in the protection of the marine environment – in the context of the 1982 United
Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS),
which establishes rules governing all uses of the oceans and their
resources. IMO’s Stefan Micallef, Director of the Marine Environment Division,
took part in a panel on the environmental, social and economic dimensions of
marine debris, plastics and microplastics. more...
Peru becomes 51st State to accede to Ballast Water Management Convention
Peru has acceded to the Ballast Water Management Convention (BWM Convention), the IMO treaty designed to counter the threat to marine ecosystems by potentially invasive species transported in ships' ballast water. This brings the number of States party to the BWM Convention to 51, representing 34.87% of the world's merchant fleet tonnage. Ambassador of Peru to the United Kingdom, H.E. Mr. Claudio de la Puente Ribeyro, met IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim at IMO HQ, London (10 June) to hand over the instrument of accession.