Enter Force

New Seafarer ID Regs Enter Force

An international treaty aimed at preventing terrorists from infiltrating shipping crews will enter into force in February 2005, the International Labor Organization (ILO) said. The pact, Reuters reported, is aimed at eventually requiring the world's 1.2 million seafarers to carry new identity cards. It will first apply to shipping crews from France and Jordan, the first two countries to ratify it, the United Nations agency said. "The new identity document for seafarers allows for the use of a 'biometric template' to turn two fingerprints of a seafarer into an internationally standardized two-dimensional bar code on the seafarer's document," ILO said in a statement. "In addition to France and Jordan, several countries are also taking steps toward ratification of the new instrument," the ILO added.

Chem Spill Clean Up Protocol to Enter Force

The Protocol on Preparedness, Response and Co-operation to Pollution Incidents by Hazardous and Noxious Substances (OPRC-HNS Protocol), 2000, has now achieved enough ratifications for entry into force on 14 June 2007, twelve months after its accession by Portugal, on 14 June 2006, the 15th State to ratify the treaty. The OPRC-HNS Protocol is aimed at providing a global framework for international co-operation in combating major incidents or threats of marine pollution from ships

U.S. Approval Needed Before Double Hull Requirements Will Apply to Oil Tankers

On February 12, 2002, the U.S. government deposited a declaration with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) stating that specific approval of the U.S. government will be necessary before the 2001 Double Hull Amendments to MARPOL 73/78 (the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships) would enter into force for the U.S. If the U.S. took no action, the amendments would have entered into force for the U.S

IMO Addresses Prestige Sinking

The Prestige incident has been followed closely by IMO since events began to unfold some days ago. The IMO Secretariat established contact immediately with the authorities of Spain and with the Flag State authorities of the Bahamas. As in any situation such as this, the prime concerns of IMO have been for the safety of human life and the protection of the marine environment. Despite the adverse conditions, no human life has been lost in this incident and the search and rescue authorities of

New Emission Reduction Rules Enter Force

International regulations to control harmful emissions from ships’ exhausts enter into force on 19 May 2005. Regulations for the Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships are contained in Annex VI of the MARPOL Convention [1] and were adopted in the 1997 Protocol to that Convention. The Annex VI regulations set limits on sulphur oxide (SOx) and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions from ship exhausts and prohibit deliberate emissions of ozone-depleting substances.

North American Emission Rules for Ships to Enter Force

On 1 August 2012, enforcement of the North American Emissions Control Area (ECA) is due to commence.  This third and largest ECA (the other two encompass the North Sea and the Baltic Sea areas) was first proposed by Canada and the United States on 27 March 2009.  France quickly joined in on behalf of Saint Pierre and Miquelon, its territory off the Atlantic coast of Canada.  The proposal was approved by the IMO on 26 March 2010 by means of an amendment to Annex VI (Regulations

INTERTANKO Applauds MEPC Report on Annex V1

The IMO's Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) welcomed the statements made by Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Greece, Luxemburg, the Netherlands, Panama and Spain that the national process for the ratification of the Protocol of 1997 of MARPOL 73/78 has reached the final stages and that they would be able to ratify Annex VI, some by the end of this year and others by the first half of 2003. The United Kingdom also indicated that the national processes were progressing

Update on IOPCF Supplementary Fund

The International Oil Pollution Compensation Funds (IOPCF) issued a News Release

International Ship Sewage Regulations Enter into Force

International regulations for the prevention of pollution by sewage from ships enter into force on 27 September 2003 - nearly 30 years after their adoption. The regulations are contained in the optional Annex IV of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973, as modified by the Protocol of 1978 relating thereto (MARPOL 73/78). Annex IV contains a set of regulations regarding discharge of sewage into the sea

IMO Fishing Boat Protocal Now in Force

The International Convention on Training and Certification for Fishing Vessel Personnel (STCW-F 1995) enters into force. The STCW-F Convention sets the certification and minimum training requirements for crews of seagoing fishing vessels of 24 metres in length and above. The Convention consists of 15 Articles and an annex containing technical regulations. The STCW-F Convention has been ratified by 15 States: Canada, Denmark, Iceland, Kiribati, Latvia, Mauritania, Morocco, Namibia, Norway