Whats New 2016
Viet Nam workshop promotes dumping of wastes at sea regulations
A national workshop on the treaty covering dumping of wastes at sea, the London Protocol, is being held in Hanoi, Viet Nam (26-27 May). The workshop is raising awareness among stakeholders on the impacts of dumping of wastes and other matters at sea, as well as the regulatory framework provided by the London Protocol. Additionally, participants gained first-hand experience of dredging and disposal activities in a visit to the Lach Hyen Port infrastructure project near Hai Phong. more...
Understanding potential impacts of marine geoengineering
A new GESAMP working group on marine geoengineering held its first meeting at IMO Headquarters, London, this week (23-25 May). The overall objective of the Working Group (WG 41) is to better understand the potential impacts of proposed marine geoengineering techniques on the marine environment – including social and economic consequences. The Group will also provide advice to the London Protocol Parties to assist them in identifying those marine geoengineering techniques that may be sensible to be considered for listing in the new Annex 4 of the Protocol. more...
Implementing environmental treaties in Indonesia
A national implementation workshop has been held in Jakarta, Indonesia (18-19 May), under the auspices of the IMO-Norad environmental project, which is supporting six east Asian countries to prepare for the ratification and implementation of key IMO marine environmental conventions. The Indonesian National Stakeholder Workshop and Project Monitoring Meeting discussed the National Implementation Plans for the Ballast Water Management Convention (BWM) and the Anti-fouling Systems Convention (AFS), both of which Indonesia has acceded to. For the BWM convention, the meeting discussed the immediate next steps to develop detailed implementation regulations as well as plans to undertake port biological baseline surveys to support risks assessments and compliance monitoring and enforcement. more...
IMO promotes green shipping at ITF summit
IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim has highlighted IMO’s work to promote green and sustainable shipping at the ITF Green and Inclusive Transport Summit 2016 in Leipzig, Germany (18-20 May). Mr Lim highlighted mandatory energy efficiency measures already adopted and approved, as well as two major technology programmes to help improve energy efficiency in shipping and help the industry move towards a low-carbon future. During a side event on "Reducing CO2 from shipping: Acting on the Paris Agreement" Edmund Hughes, Head, Air Pollution and Energy Efficiency at IMO provided information on the work of the Organization to address GHG emissions from ships with a focus on the action taken by IMO to complement the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. more...
UN meeting promotes technical cooperation
Technical
cooperation between developing countries is on the agenda at the United Nations
High-Level Committee (HLC) on South-South Cooperation,
New York (16-19 May). IMO is participating in the meeting, which is reviewing progress in initiatives such as the Buenos Aires Plan of Action. The event featured a session on cooperation
relating to the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. IMO continues to
link its technical cooperation programme to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) including SDG 14 on
conserving and sustainably using the oceans. more...
IMO workshop promotes energy efficiency measures
An IMO workshop
is raising awareness of the organization’s regulatory regime dealing with
improving energy efficiency and the control of GHG emissions from ships.
Participants from Malaysian governmental departments, academia and other
related bodies are in attendance at the three-day “MARPOL
Annex VI and Technology Transfer” workshop, taking place in Johor, Malaysia
(16-18 May). The event is organized under IMO’s GloMEEP
project, which is supporting uptake and implementation of energy efficiency
measures for shipping in developing countries. Malaysia is one of the 10
GloMEEP lead pilot countries. more...
Co-ordinated approach to maritime crime prevention
IMO attended the 3rd Regional Ministerial Meeting for Promoting Maritime Safety and Security in the Eastern and Southern Africa and Indian Ocean Region (ESA-IO) (15 May). The meeting in Djibouti adopted a declaration that identifies key priorities and paves the way for long term maritime safety and security and sustainable development in the ESA-IO. Key decisions included moving beyond piracy to address all forms of maritime threats and crimes (such as, amongst others, illegal unregulated and unreported fishing, toxic dumping, human trafficking, drug smuggling); extending the scope of the Djibouti Code of Conduct; and focussing on developing States’ national maritime capabilities. more...
Turkey ratifies FAL Convention
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. His Excellency Mr. Abdurrahman Bilgiç, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Turkey to IMO, deposited Turkey’s instrument of accession with Secretary-General Kitack Lim. more...
IMO environment projects win international award
A team from IMO's Marine Environment
Division has won the best Portfolio Solution Award in the 8th
International Waters Conference (IWC8) organized by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) in Negombo, Sri Lanka (9-13 May).
The award was given for the project with the best strategy for
scaling-up investments aimed at addressing global environmental issues
facing international waters, including the oceans. International waters
is one of the five thematic portfolios of GEF funding, with around 90 related projects being featured at IWC8 and some 300 currently underway worldwide. more...