States Party News

Malta is the latest country to accede to International Maritime Organization (IMO)'s treaty for safe and environmentally-sound ship recycling – the Hong Kong Convention, the UN body said in a release.The Convention covers the design, construction, operation and maintenance of ships, and preparation for ship recycling in order to facilitate safe and environmentally sound recycling, without compromising the safety and operational efficiency of ships.Under the treaty, ships to be sent for recycling are required to carry an inventory of hazardous materials, specific to each ship. Ship recycling yards are required to provide a "Ship Recycling Plan", specifying the manner in which each ship will be recycled, depending on its particulars and its inventory.H.E. Mr.

Last week has seen four more States become Party to International Maritime Organization (IMO)'s Ballast Water Management Convention, designed to counter the threat to marine ecosystems by potentially invasive species transported in ships' ballast water. The Convention enters into force on 8 September 2017 and will require ships to manage their ballast water, which can contain thousands of aquatic or marine microbes, plants and organisms, which are then carried across the globe. The Bahamas deposited its instrument of accession on Thursday (8 June), following accession by Singapore (8 June), ratification by Australia (7 June) and accession by United Arab Emirates (6 June). Saudi Arabia became a Party in April.

New Zealand is the latest country to accede to IMO’s Ballast Water Management Convention, designed to counter the threat to marine ecosystems by potentially invasive species transported in ships' ballast water.    The Convention enters into force on 8 September 2017 and will require ships to manage their ballast water, which can contain thousands of aquatic or marine microbes, plants and organisms, which are then carried across the globe.   Lockwood Smith, High Commissioner of New Zealand to the United Kingdom, met IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim at IMO Headquarters, London (9 January) to deposit the instrument of accession.    This brings the number of States party to the Convention to 54, representing 53.30% of the world's merchant fleet tonnage.

Saint Lucia has acceded to four International Maritime Organization (IMO) treaties, including conventions covering ballast water management (BWM Convention) and emissions from ship exhausts and energy efficiency (MARPOL Annex VI). Tafawa Williams, Alternate Permanent Representative of Saint Lucia to IMO, met IMO’s Frederick Kenney, Director, Legal Affairs and External Relations Division, on May 26 to deposit the instruments of accession. This brings the number of States party to the Ballast Water Management Convention to 50, representing 34.81 percent of the world's merchant fleet tonnage.

Fiji has acceded to six IMO treaties, including important conventions covering ballast water management and the control of harmful anti-fouling systems on ships. This brings the number of States party to the Ballast Water Management Convention to 49, with the aggregate remaining at 34.82 percent of the world's merchant fleet tonnage (based on global tonnage data as at end-February 2016). Jitoko Tikolevu, High Commissioner of Fiji to the United Kingdom, met IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim to deposit the instruments of accession.

Legislation has been favorably reported out of the Senate Committee in Commerce, Science, and Transportation that would, if enacted, constitute the first official steps by the federal government to come to grips with biofouling of the hulls of ships. The Ballast Water Management Act of 2007 (S. 1578) would, among other things, require the U.S. Coast Guard to conduct a study of vessel-borne vectors (other than ballast water and sediment), specifically including vessel hulls, anchors, and equipment.

Revisions to the 1988 Load Lines Protocol enter into force on 1 January 2005. Also entering into force on the same date are amendments to the Guidelines on the enhanced programme of inspections during surveys of bulk carriers and oil tankers (resolution A.744(18)). The amendments adopted in June 2003 to Annex B to the 1988 Load Lines Protocol include a number of important revisions, in particular to regulations concerning: strength and intact stability of ships; definitions; superstructure and bulkheads; doors; position of hatchways, doorways and ventilators; hatchway coamings; hatch covers; machinery space openings; miscellaneous openings in freeboard and superstructure decks…

The following was excerpted from Mr. Hart's presentation at INTERTANKO's Washington Tanker Event. Ships continue to sink and pollute, and crews continue to lose their lives or be imperiled. This is the 21st century — the shipping industry is one of the oldest in the world so one has to ask how this is possible that in this day and age? Why can't this industry guarantee that ships won't break up and sink? Why have we not learned the lessons of the past? In using the term charterer in my paper for this conference, I am referring to responsible charterers. I can only speak for BP as a responsible charterer, and for companies like BP. There are obviously other companies and organizations that have different criteria for the way they conduct their business…

A revised Annex B to the 1988 Load Lines Protocol and amendments to the enhanced survey programme for bulk carriers and oil tankers are expected to be adopted when IMO's Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) meets at the Organization's London Headquarters for its 77th session from 28 May to 6 June. Other major issues on the MSC agenda include the implementation of security measures adopted in December 2002, places of refuge, the safety of bulk carriers, the proposed IMO Model Audit Scheme and implementation of the revised STCW Convention. The MSC (including Parties to the 1988 Load Lines Protocol) is expected to adopt what amounts to a comprehensive revision of the technical regulations of the original Load Lines Convention.