Maritime Safety Committee (MSC 109) - Closing remarks

ADDRESS OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL AT THE CLOSING OF THE 109TH SESSION OF THE MARITIME SAFETY COMMITTEE (MSC 109), 2 to 6 December 2024

Delivered by IMO Secretary-General, Mr. Arsenio Dominguez on 6 December 2024

Madam Chair, distinguished delegates,

We have come to the end of another session of the Maritime Safety Committee, which once again achieved many important accomplishments.

In the interest of time, I will only highlight some of the important achievements:

Necessary adjustments have been made to the Road Map on the draft MASS Code with more work coming your way, I am grateful for the Committee's diligent efforts to ensure a high-quality Code.

The Committee adopted the resolution on Interim Guidance to assist in the implementation of the Cape Town Agreement of 2012, which will facilitate the entry into force of the Agreement and provide guidance for unified implementation.

You have adopted amendments to the IGC and the IGF Codes.

You progressed consideration of new technologies and alternative fuels for the development of a safety regulatory framework to support the 2023 IMO GHG strategy. Further progress on this important matter is expected at the next session.

In relation to this, you have approved the Interim Guidelines for the safety of ships using ammonia as fuel at this session, based on consideration by CCC 10.

You reviewed the Committee’s Method of Work addressing the workload issue. I look forward to the positive changes this will introduce in the work of your Committee, and I encourage you to implement these improvements effectively.

My sincere appreciation goes to your Chair, Mrs. Mayte Medina of the United States. Madam Chair, you once again demonstrated outstanding decision-making skills and excellent leadership in steering the affairs of the Committee to great success as always, and you kept growing taller throughout the week.

I would also like to thank your Vice-Chair, Mr. Theofilos Mozas of Greece, for his support throughout this session, in particular chairing the GHG Safety Working Group.

My thanks also go to the Chairs of the working and drafting groups:

  • Mr. Tunfors of Sweden;
  • Mr. Lancaster of New Zealand;
  • Mr. Tsuchiya of Liberia; and
  • Mr. Yoshida of Japan.

I take this opportunity to thank the team of auditors involved in the GBS verification audits.

As always, this is also an opportune moment to express our gratitude to those delegates and experts who are leaving and concluding their tenure with us and for whom this marks the final session of the Committee:

  • Mr Raul Braghette of Argentina;
  • Mr. Simon Moore of Australia;
  • Mr. Marcelo Gonzalez of Chile;
  • Ms. Claudia Grant of Jamaica;
  • Mr. Napoleon Espinola of Paraguay;
  • Mr. Jose Regalado of Peru; and
  • Mr. Umut Shenturk of Türkiye.

We extend our heartfelt wishes for success in all future endeavours to those moving forward.

Let me conclude by thanking the staff of the Maritime Safety Division for their dedication as a team. As usual, my thanks also go to all staff in the Secretariat involved in MSC 109 and special thanks, as always, go to the interpreters for facilitating our communication which, in view of the highly technical nature of this Committee, can be a challenging task.

It only remains for me to wish you all a nice weekend and a safe journey home. As we wrap up this final IMO meeting for this year, I would like to wish everyone a joyful and relaxing holiday season. Here is to new beginnings and all the best for the future.

Thank you.