The International Maritime Organization (IMO)

(Established 1948)

Status

United Nations specialised Agency.

Mission

To encourage the highest practicable standards of marine safety and the prevention of marine pollution from ships.

Activities

The International Maritime Organisation has developed a comprehensive body of international Conventions, codes and recommendations for implementation by its member Governments. Possession of the certificates prescribed by the Conventions normally allows ships to enter into foreign ports with a minimum degree of control by the port state. The International Maritime Organisation has 162 Member States.

Structure

The governing body of the International Maritime Organisation is the Assembly which meets every two years. In between Assembly sessions a Council, consisting of 40 Member States elected by the Assembly, acts as the governing body. The technical work of the International Maritime Organisation is carried out by a series of Committees.

The Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) is the most senior of these and has nine sub-committees. These specialise in various aspects of the safe design, equipment and operation of merchant ships.

The Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) deals with the prevention of pollution. The International Maritime Organisation has a Legal Committee which was established to deal with legal problems resulting from the Torrey Canyon pollution disaster of 1967; it was later made a permanent body, and has dealt with a number of liability issues and maritime salvage. A new sub–committee on Flag State Implementation was established in 1993; it aims to improve the standard of enforcement of the Conventions by some administrations. This sub-committee reports to both the MSC and the MEPC.

The Legal Committee is empowered to deal with any legal matters within the scope of the Organization. The Committee consists of all Member States of IMO.

The Technical Cooperation Committee handles the International Maritime Organisation's growing technical cooperation programme, designed to help Member Governments – particularly in developing countries – to implement the technical measures adopted by the Organisation.

The Facilitation Committee deals with measures to simplify the documentation and formalities required in international shipping.

The Secretariat consists of some 300 international civil servants headed by a Secretary-General.

Work Programmes of the Technical Committees

The Maritime Safety Committee

This is the main Technical Committee; it oversees the work of its nine sub-committees and initiates new topics. One broad topic it deals with is the effect of the human element on casualties; this work has been put to all of the sub-committees, but meanwhile, the Maritime Safety Committee has developed a code for the management of ships which will ensure that agreed operational procedures are in place and followed by the ship and shore-side staff.

Sub-Committees

The work of the sub-committees is described by their titles, as follows:

• safety of navigation
• radio communications and, search and rescue
• standards of training and watch keeping
• ship design and equipment
• fire protection
• stability, load lines and fishing vessel safety
• flag state implementation
• dangerous goods, solid cargoes and containers.
• bulk liquids and gases

The sub-committees work on numerous topics, including, for example, improvements in the design of passenger ships and the requirements for the stowage and packaging of the vast range of dangerous goods carried by sea.

The Marine Environmental Protection Committee

This Committee is responsible for the MARPOL Convention which regulates measures to prevent pollution of the seas by ships. It has recently been involved in the development of regulations for the design of oil tankers which will minimise the risk of pollution following damage by collision or grounding. The sub-committee on bulk liquids and gases also reports to the MEPC on the pollution aspects of its work.

United Kingdom Interests

Lead Department

The Department for Transport, Zone 2/32, Great Minster House, 76 Marsham Street, London SW1P 4DR.
Contact: Thomas Allan, Permanent Representative IMO.
Telephone: +44 (0) 20 7944 5270.

Other Interested Departments and Organisations

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency, Spring Place, 105 Commercial Road, Southampton, SO15 1EG.

The Ministry of Defence, UK Hydrographic Office, Admiralty Way, Taunton, TA1 2DN.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, (Aviation and Maritime Department), King Charles Street, Whitehall, London, SW1A 2AH.

Health and Safety Executive, Bootle, Liverpool L20 3LZ

Briefing and Reporting Mechanisms

Delegations include representatives from government departments (The Department forTransport, The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Health and Safety Executive, the shipping industry (ship owners and unions) and other ‘British’ registers. Each technical committee and sub-committee has internal and external briefing meetings. The external meetings invite a wide range of interests.

Perspective

As the host nation, and as a nation with a strong maritime background, the United Kingdom has always had a strong voice in the International Maritime Organisation. However, with the growth in "flags of convenience", concern has increased in recent years about the commitment of some administrations to the implementation and enforcement of the international standards.