Legal Committee (LEG), 110th Session, 27-31 March (Opening remarks)

OPENING REMARKS BY THE SECRETARY-GENERAL KITACK LIM

AT THE OPENING OF LEG 110

Madam Chair, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, good day to all of you.

It is a pleasure for me to welcome you to the 110th session of the Legal Committee, the first in-person meeting of this Committee in four years. It has been a long wait, but the Committee has remained quite productive in the interval.

Distinguished delegates,

Following the devastating earthquake in Türkiye and the Syrian Arab Republic and their tragic consequences, I would like to remind you that we have launched an Appeal for Funds and a mechanism to facilitate donations on behalf of the IMO family.

Subsequently, the donations collected will be sent to the to the United Nations Secretariat fund to support efforts providing experts, emergency relief, food, medical supplies and other life-saving items.

Details with the bank account for the donations have been published in a Circular Letter No.4696. Today is the last opportunity to contribute to the Fund.

Let me also express my sympathy to all those countries and persons affected by the continued conflict in the area of the Black Sea and Sea of Azov. Over the past year, I have repeatedly emphasized that shipping, particularly seafarers, cannot be collateral victims in a larger political and military crisis. I hope we will soon see the end of this conflict. However, I welcome the recent extension of the Black Sea Grain Initiative and can assure you that my efforts to free the ships not covered by the Initiative that are still trapped in Ukraine will continue.

As this is the last time, I am addressing this Committee as Secretary-General, I want to use this opportunity to reiterate my commitment to topics related to seafarers. The well-being of nearly two million seafarers working on board seagoing ships every day around the world continues to be my priority.

Abandonment of seafarers continues to be of great concern to me and to the IMO Membership. Concrete action must be undertaken to protect seafarers, the silent heroes of the industry. We must never forget about their dedication, professionalism and personal sacrifice when delivering goods to populations worldwide.

In this context, you will be invited to consider the outcome of the first meeting of the Joint ILO-IMO Tripartite Working Group to identify and address seafarers' issues and the human element held in Geneva last December. As a result, you will be invited to adopt the resolution containing the revised guidelines on how to deal with seafarer abandonment cases.

You will also address the very serious matter of seafarers detained on suspicion of committing maritime crimes. Regrettably, cases of unfair treatment of seafarers are growing. This poses a threat to the future sustainability of merchant shipping, negatively affect the morale of seafarers and recruitment of qualified young people into the seafaring profession.

Turning to the unlawful practices associated with the fraudulent registration and fraudulent registries of ships, at this session, you will continue the discussion on measures to prevent this dangerous phenomenon and you will consider instances of the fraudulent use of the IMO identification number schemes.

Over the decades you have developed a robust and comprehensive liability and compensation regime which is well-established and effectively implemented.

Nevertheless, there is always room for improvement and you will consider three pamphlets on Bunkers Convention, the Civil Liability Convention and the Wreck Removal Convention that shall assist in the implementation and application of the regime. You will also continue looking into the measures to assess the need to amend liability limits. I am confident that you will find a suitable compromise solution. 

Moreover, you will consider the Claims Manual for the International Convention on Civil Liability for Bunker Oil Pollution Damage, 2001 which will assist the victims of the bunker oil pollution damage and would speed up the process of obtaining a prompt remedy. I am sure that your efforts to further improve the system will bring the expected effect.

An important part of the liability and compensation regime is the 2010 HNS Convention. You will further consider how to facilitate the ratification and implementation of that treaty. In order to assist Governments in this process, a two-day workshop will be held next week to promote the HNS Convention and I encourage you to take an active part in that event, organized by Canada and the IMO and IOPC Funds Secretariats.

Your Committee will also address the issue of Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS) which is on your agenda. A Joint MSC-LEG-FAL Working Group has been established to coordinate efforts in regulating Autonomous Ships. I look forward to your Committee working together with other Committees on the next steps in that process.

Following the approval by the Maritime Safety Committee, your Committee will be asked to approve the revised IMO Guidelines on Places of Refuge for Ships in Need of Assistance, to be forwarded to the 33rd session of the Assembly with a view to adoption.

I wish you good progress with your heavy workload. I am confident that you will deal with all the important agenda items in the usual spirit of cooperation and tackle the tasks before you successfully, under the capable leadership of your Chair, Ms. Gillian Grant of Canada, the aid of your Vice-Chair, Mr. Ivane Abashidze of Georgia, and the staff of the Secretariat.

My best wishes to all delegates for a productive session.

Thank you, Madame Chair.

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