Facilitation Committee News

The Legal Committee of the IMO will meet for its 111th session at IMO Headquarters in London from April 22 to 26, 2024. The Committee deals with any legal matters within the scope of the IMO, including issues relating to liability and compensation, fair treatment of seafarers and the registration of ships. This meeting will discuss:1. Abandonment of seafarersSeafarer abandonment happens when shipowners fail to fulfil obligations to seafarers related to timely repatriation, payment of outstanding wages or salary…

The IMO's Facilitation Committee held its 48th session (FAL 48) from April 8 to 12, in person at IMO Headquarters in London.The Facilitation Committee (FAL) meets annually to deal with matters related to the facilitation of international maritime traffic, including the arrival, stay and departure of ships, persons and cargo from ports. The Committee also addresses electronic business and aims to ensure that the right balance is struck between regulation and the facilitation of international maritime trade.

The IMO Facilitation Committee will meet in person at IMO Headquarters in London for its 48th session (FAL 48) from April 8 to 12 to discuss issues related to autonomous shipping; prevention of illegal wildlife trafficking on ships; digitalization initiatives and the implementation of the Maritime Single Window and Port Community Systems.The Facilitation Committee (FAL) will continue discussions around regulating commercial vessels that can operate independent of human interaction - Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS).

2024 marks a milestone in the acceleration of digitalization in shipping that has been brought about by the mandatory requirements for a Maritime Single Window.The requirement under the Convention on Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic (FAL) requires governments to use a single digital platform or “Maritime Single Window” to share and exchange information with ships when they call at ports, from January 1, 2024. This streamlines procedures to clear the arrival, stay and departure of ships and greatly enhances the efficiency of shipping worldwide…

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has agreed to address maritime corruption by including this important issue in its work programme for the Facilitation Committee.The decision to include an anti-corruption agenda came at the latest meeting of the IMO’s Facilitation Committee (FAL) in response to a submission from Liberia, Marshall Islands, Norway, United Kingdom, United States and Vanuatu. The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) co-sponsored the submission along with a number of other non-governmental organisations (NGOs).Guy Platten, Secretary General of the International Chamber of Shipping said: “Corruption erodes trust in government and undermines the social contract. Corruption impedes investment, with consequent effects on growth and jobs.

The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) showed massive support  agreeing to include maritime corruption as a regular work item on its agenda.A paper on the topic of maritime corruption was presented by the Marshall Islands with  many countries and international organizations  expressing their endorsement of a proposal to develop guidelines to assist all stakeholders in embracing and implementing anti-corruption practices and procedures at the 43rd meeting of the Facilitation Committee (FAL). The IMO will now work on a Guidance document to address maritime corruption. This is expected to be completed by 2021. Danish Shipping welcomed the support from the international community for this initiative.“We have a long-standing commitment to stamping out maritime corruption.

“Use your power to empower”. “Say what you’re thinking”. “Listen to the ‘yes’ voice in your head”. “Return every phone call every day”. “Believe in yourself”.This was the advice given by a wide variety of inspiring maritime women sharing their experiences of entering, working and leading in the maritime world at a special on "Women, ports and facilitation" at International Maritime Organization (IMO) Headquarters, London (10 April).The speakers presented on, and answered questions about, their work and the future for women in the field – identifying a series of key issues and recommendations. These include the importance of promoting female role models…

A successful International Maritime Organization (IMO) project promoted by Norway to establish a maritime "single window" in Antigua and Barbuda has been completed – and the source code for the system will now be made available to other countries who need it.A maritime single window enables all information required by public authorities in connection with the arrival, stay and departure of ships, people and cargo, to be submitted electronically via a single portal, without duplication. This type of system is recommended by IMO's Facilitation Convention, the treaty which aims to reduce administrative burdens and make shipping and trade…

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) treaty enhancing communication between ships and ports to help shipments move more quickly, more easily and more efficiently has been ratified by Malaysia.According to the UN body, this brings the number of contracting States to the Convention on Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic (FAL Convention) to 123.Captain Haji Samad, Alternate Permanent Representative of Malaysia to IMO, met IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim at IMO Headquarters, London (10 April) to deposit the instrument of accession.IMO’s Facilitation Committee is meeting for its 43rd session (8-12 April) this week, coinciding…

A new global rule mandated by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) for national governments to introduce electronic information exchange (EIC) between ships and ports took effect from Monday (8 April 2019).The aim is to make cross-border trade simpler and the logistics chain more efficient, for the more than 10 billion tons of goods which are traded by sea annually across the globe, said a press note from the UN body.The requirement, mandatory under IMO's Convention on Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic (FAL Convention), is part of a package of amendments under the revised Annex to the FAL Convention, adopted in…

International Maritime Organization (IMO)’s Facilitation Committee addresses the efficiency of shipping by dealing with all matters related to the facilitation of international maritime traffic, including the arrival, stay and departure of ships, persons and cargo from ports.The Committee is meeting for its 43rd session (8-12 April), coinciding with the entry into effect of new requires for all public authorities to introduce electronic exchange of information between ships and ports.Alongside other agenda items, the Committee is expected to continue its ongoing work on harmonization and standardization of electronic messages and develop…

International Maritime Organization (IMO)'s  Global Industry Alliance to Support Low Carbon Shipping (GIA) brought together a wide range of industry stakeholders to discuss how to operationally make “Just-In-Time” (JIT) a global reality.Convening at IMO Headquarters in London (31 January), representatives from shipping companies, port authorities, terminal operators, service providers (including ship agents, bunker providers and tug operators) and other maritime organizations, discussed in detail how to tackle existing operational barriers.Implementing “Just-In-Time” (JIT) operations to cut the time ships spend idling outside ports can help cut emissions. This is good for the environment and can cut costs too.

International Maritime Organization (IMO) is supporting countries from the Gulf of Guinea region in their plans to enhance maritime security.Participants from 10 countries - Benin, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Senegal and Togo, as well as international partners such as INTERPOL and the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office - are taking part in a workshop in Monterey, USA (6-10 August) on developing and refining their work plans. This includes introducing new topics directly related to the successful implementation of maritime security strategies – such as negotiation skills for secure political and inter-Ministerial cooperation.The workshop…

BIMCO is helping the industry raise its voice against maritime corruption and supports initiatives that help fight unfair trade. At the 42nd session of the International Maritime Organisation’s Facilitation Committee (FAL) in London on June 5-8th, BIMCO has backed a request made by The Maritime Anti-Corruption Network (MACN) for the IMO and member States to fully recognise the scale of maritime corruption and to take a stand against this type of crime. MACN is a global business network working towards a corruption free maritime industry that enables fair trade to the benefit of society. The network has submitted a paper to the IMO Committee that discusses the impact of corruption on society, how it acts as a trade barrier and how it hinders social economic growth.

Standardization and harmonization are essential in order to achieve efficient shipping and seamless transport, particularly when it comes to electronic data exchange. International Maritime Organization (IMO)’s Facilitation Committee, which is meeting (5-8 June) at IMO Headquarters, is set to approve a revised format of the IMO Compendium on Facilitation and Electronic Business, including a completely revised and updated standard IMO data model set. Data models define and format information which might be transferred between automated systems, such as for export, import and transit. The revised Compendium will include a completely revised data structure, including digitalization-friendly definitions of all the information elements that a ship is required to report.

Effective global electronic data exchange for ships entering and leaving ports depends on standardized and harmonized practices for data exchange. This can include data models which define and format data which might be transferred between automated systems, such as for export, import and transit. IMO participated in the World Customs Organization (WCO) Data Model Project Team meeting (22-26 January) in Brussels, to receive updates on the latest work by the WCO. The WCO Data Model supports the implementation of a “single window” for electronic data exchange, as it allows the reporting of information to all government agencies through the unique way it organizes regulatory information.

International Maritime Organization (IMO)'s Legal Committee is expected to consider adopting a resolution to encourage the ratification and implementation of the 2010 HNS Convention, when it meets for its 104th session (26-28 April). Norway recently became the first country to become a Contracting State to this key compensation treaty covering the transport of hazardous and noxious substances (HNS) by ship. Also up for consideration is a draft Assembly resolution to allow for the delegation of authority to issue insurance certificates under the CLC and the HNS Convention. The Committee is also expected to confirm the addition of mandatory insurance certificates into the consolidated draft list of certificates and documents required to be carried on board ships, 2017.

Mandatory requirements for the electronic exchange of information on cargo, crew and passengers have been adopted by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), as part of a revised and modernized annex to the Convention on Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic (FAL), which aims to harmonize procedures for ship’s  arrival, stay and departure from port. The new standard relating to the obligation of public authorities to establish systems for the electronic exchange of information…

The Facilitation Committee, meeting this week (4-8 April), is expected to adopt mandatory requirements for the electronic exchange of information on cargo, crew and passengers as part of a revised and modernized annex to the 1965 Convention on Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic (FAL). Important proposed changes in the revised Annex include the introduction of a new standard relating to the obligation of public authorities to establish systems for the electronic exchange of information, within a period of three years after the adoption of the amendments. The Committee will also receive an update on the IMO maritime single window project and will consider developing voluntary maritime cybersecurity guidelines…

IMO and the World Customs Organization (WCO) have signed a partnership agreement to maintain, update, publish and distribute the IMO Compendium on Facilitation and Electronic Business. The compendium provides essential guidance and standardised forms for electronic exchange of information on cargo, passengers and crew, for ships, carriers, port authorities, customs, terminals, consignees and other parties in the supply chain. Under the agreement, signed on 22 December, the WCO takes responsibility for the technical maintenance of the compendium, including liaison with the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), the global focal point for trade facilitation recommendations and electronic business standards (UN/EDIFACT).

Prompted by recent incidents in which hundreds of migrants attempting to cross the Mediterranean to Europe have lost their lives, including dozens found dead in the holds of the ships that were carrying them, International Maritime Organization (IMO) Secretary-General Koji Sekimizu has voiced strong condemnation and refreshed calls for concerted action to tackle people smugglers. Sekimizu noted that smugglers were sending people to sea in craft that were totally unsuitable for passengers and crowding them on board to levels that were completely unsafe.

The new mandatory code for ships fuelled by gases or other low-flashpoint fuels was adopted by IMO's Maritime Safety Committee (MSC), when it met at the Organization's London headquarters for its 95th session from June 3-12, 2015. The Committee also placed unsafe mixed migration by sea on its agenda and considered cyber security matters and passenger ship safety. It adopted new ships’ routing measures and approved a number of circulars arising from items put forward by the subcommittees.

The International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Maritime Safety Committee (MSC), which met at the Organization's London headquarters for its 94th session, from November 17-21, 2014, approved draft SOLAS amendments to make mandatory the International Code of Safety for Ships using Gases or other Low- flashpoint Fuels (IGF Code); adopted other SOLAS amendments; continued its work on its action plan on passenger ship safety; and approved and adopted a number of items put forward by the subcommittees. The MSC also adopted the Polar Code and related amendments to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) to make it mandatory.