Whats New 2018
Maritime security planning in the Gulf of Guinea
IMO is supporting countries* from the Gulf of Guinea region in
their plans to enhance maritime security. Participants from 10 countries are
taking part in a workshop in Monterey, USA (6-10 August) on developing and
refining their work plans. This includes introducing new topics directly
related to the successful implementation of maritime security strategies – such
as negotiation skills for secure political and inter-Ministerial cooperation. more...
IMO workshop promotes secure shipping in Asia
Shipping forms the backbone of world trade, transporting around 80% of global trade by volume. No other method of mass transportation is as cost-effective or fuel-efficient. Each day, around 50,000 merchant ships deliver the things people need and want – from food, to clothes, fuel, raw materials, electronics, medication and more. The security of maritime trade is therefore paramount to people all over the world. One way in which IMO supports maritime security is through targeted workshops supporting countries to implement IMO measures. The latest of these events, on maritime and port security for Asian countries, took place in Ningbo, China (23-27 July). more...
Mauritius signs Jeddah Amendment on illicit maritime activity
Mauritius has become the 15th signatory* to the Jeddah Amendment
to the Djibouti Code of Conduct – the instrument developed and adopted
by countries in the Western Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden that has been a
key factor in repressing piracy and armed robbery against ships
operating in that region. more...
Serbia accedes to Ballast Water Management Convention
Seventy-four countries have now signed
up to IMO's Ballast Water Management Convention, with Serbia being the
latest to accede to the treaty helping to protect the marine
environment. The signatories represent more than 75% of the world's
merchant fleet tonnage. Under the treaty, ships are required to manage
their ballast water, which can contain thousands of aquatic or marine
microbes, plants and organisms, which are then carried across the globe. more...
Training to reduce emissions in Malaysian ports
Malaysian maritime officials are touring the Port of Bintulu
on Borneo island as part of an IMO training package helping countries to reduce
emissions in ports. Thirty participants from authorities and ports across
Malaysia are taking part in the event (24-26 July), with the aim of gaining
improved expertise on assessing emissions in ports and devising strategies to address
those emissions. The result – better air quality for local populations and
contribution towards the battle against climate change. more...
Training for Honduran maritime security officials
Honduras is hosting a workshop on the IMO regulation setting
out preventive security measures in case of threats to ships and port
facilities – the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS)
Code. The event in Puerto Cortez, Honduras (23-27 July) comes as a follow-up to
a 2017 exercise in which the country’s specific technical assistance needs were
identified. more...
Maritime security in the 21st century
IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim
has highlighted the Organization’s work and response to a changing maritime
security landscape. Speaking at the ‘Maritime security in the 21st century’
symposium at the Brazilian Naval War College, Rio de Janeiro (20 July), he said
that “threats to the port and shipping sectors are constantly evolving and so
is IMO’s response” and emphasized that “IMO is addressing the digital
revolution in all aspects of its work”. more...
Spill preparedness in the Northwest Pacific
IMO
is supporting regional cooperation on oil and hazardous and noxious substances
(HNS) spills in the Northwest Pacific region. IMO’s
Roel Hoenders is taking part in meetings of the Marine Environmental Emergency
Preparedness and Response Regional Activity Centre (MERRAC) taking place in
Incheon, Republic of Korea (17-20 July). The Centre was originally established
by IMO and UNEP to create effective cooperative measures to spill response
under the Northwest Pacific Action Plan (NOWPAP)*. more...
Security assessment in Georgia
IMO's rules and regulations for suppressing unlawful acts against the safety of navigation can be seen in the wider context of the global fight against terrorism. The United Nations Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (UNCTED) carries out assessment visits to countries to assess their compliance with various international security instruments and UN Security Council resolutions. more...