Turkey Ratifies FAL Convention

On May 13, 2016, Turkey became the latest country to ratify the Convention on Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic, or FAL Convention.

 

According to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the FAL Convention's main objectives are to prevent unnecessary delays in maritime traffic, to aid cooperation between governments and to secure the highest practicable degree of uniformity in formalities and other procedures. In particular, the Convention reduces the number of declarations which can be required by public authorities.

 

A revised and modernized annex to the convention was adopted in April this year and is due to enter into force on January 1, 2018. The revision is designed to ensure the FAL treaty adequately addresses the shipping industry’s present and emerging needs and serves to facilitate and expedite international maritime traffic. The objective is to prevent unnecessary delays to ships and to persons and property on board.

 

Abdurrahman Bilgiç, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Turkey to IMO, deposited Turkey’s instrument of accession with Secretary-General Kitack Lim.