Whats New 2019
GPS rollover - 6 April 2019: are you ready?
Maritime users of the Global Positioning System Standard Positioning Service (GPS-SPS) are urged to check their systems ahead of the week counter roll over on 6 April 2019. Some outdated GPS receiver systems may cease to function properly - with potentially serious impacts on navigation. IMO is warning maritime users to take action. more...
Georgia accedes to load lines convention
Georgia is the 112th State to accede to the International Convention on Load Lines (1988 Protocol). Limitations on the draught to which a ship may be loaded are included in the treaty, making a significant contribution to the ship's safety. These limits are given in the form of freeboards. The treaty takes into account the potential hazards present in different ocean zones and different seasons. more...
Japan accedes to ship recycling convention
IMO's treaty for safe and environmentally-sound ship recycling has received another boost. Japan has become the 10th country to become a Party to the Hong Kong Convention. H.E. Mr. Koji Tsuruoka, Ambassador of Japan to the United Kingdom and Permanent Representative of Japan to IMO, met IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim (27 March) to deposit the instrument of accession. more...
Addressing fraudulent registration
IMO’s Legal committee will discuss a number of proposed measures to prevent fraudulent registration of ships and other deceptive shipping practices, during its 106th session (27-29 March). This follows reports of fraudulent use of their flag by a number of IMO Member States. Amongst other agenda items, the Committee will consider the growing number of cases of seafarer abandonment. more...
Expanding collaborative efforts to promote maritime security
Members of three key regional
maritime security agreements*, which IMO has helped to establish, are
undergoing training on tackling maritime crime in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (10-28
March 2019). Thirty participants from 24 countries** are learning theoretical and
practical skills to deal with
piracy/robbery against ships, drug trafficking, marine terrorism, weapons
smuggling, human trafficking and more. more...
Progress in Guyana’s oil spill preparedness
Guyana is the latest country to benefit from IMO’s continuing work to strengthen oil spill response capacity in the Wider Caribbean Region. Guyanese officials from 28 different government agencies, environmental stakeholders, and local industry representatives took part in the REMPEITC-Caribe* training workshop (18-20 March) funded by IMO. Participants assessed Guyana’s oil spill readiness programme and further developed the National Contingency Plan for the country. more...
Promoting good practice in spill preparedness and response
Increased maritime traffic as well as offshore oil and gas industries in west and central Africa means more risks of oil spill in the region. To strengthen the capability for preparedness and response of a potential oil spill, a workshop is underway in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire (18-21 March). The event aims to help participants with to ratify and effectively implement IMO conventions relating to oil pollution and liability and compensation. more...
Global alliance for low carbon shipping expands
A.P. Moller - Maersk A/S and the Panama Canal Authority
are the latest entities to join the IMO-supported
Global Industry Alliance to Support Low Carbon Shipping (GIA). The GIA
now has 18 members, including leading shipowners and operators, classification
societies, engine and technology builders and suppliers, big data providers,
oil companies and ports. The new
members signed up to the GIA during the fifth meeting of the GIA
Taskforce at IMO Headquarters in London, United Kingdom (15 March). more...
Getting to grips with national maritime transport policy
The latest in a series of workshops on developing a national maritime transport policy has been held in Accra, Ghana (13-15 March). IMO is promoting the development of national maritime transport policy as a means to bring all relevant stakeholders together, and create a policy to achieve the maritime vision of a country and ensure that the sector is governed in an efficient, sustainable, safe and environmentally sound manner. more...