Students from the International Association of Maritime Universities (IAMU) visited International Maritime Organization (IMO) Headquarters for their student forum (11-12 July). Its theme was that of IMO’s World Maritime Day - “Connecting Ships, Ports and People”. The visit, which brought over 60 students from all over the world, provided a unique opportunity for young people to learn more about IMO and the maritime industry. The students also took part in workshops where they tackled real industry issues such as attracting and retaining seafarers…

The number of States signed up to  International Maritime Organization (IMO)'s Ballast Water Management Convention has reached 61, with Honduras being the latest country acceding to the treaty. The signatories now represent 68.46 % of the world's merchant fleet tonnage. Under the treaty, ships are required to manage their ballast water, which can contain thousands of aquatic or marine microbes, plants and organisms, which are then carried across the globe. Ivan Romero Martinez…

Thailand has become the latest State to accede to the international conventions on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage (CLC) and the Establishment of an International Fund for Compensation for Oil Pollution Damage (Fund). The CLC Convention ensures that compensation is available to people who suffer oil pollution damage from maritime casualties involving oil-carrying ships, and places liability on the owner of the ship from which the polluting oil escaped or was discharged.

A busy Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 71) is now under way at  International Maritime Organization (IMO) Headquarters in London (3-7 July). A key item on the agenda is the implementation of the Ballast Water Management (BWM) Convention, which will enter into force on 8 September 2017. The Committee will consider draft amendments to the BWM Convention which will determine the implementation schedule for installations of ballast water management systems. Following ratification by Greece last week (on 26 June)…

International Maritime Organization (IMO) has agreed to take steps that could lead to a phase-out of the use of heavy fuel oil (HFO) in Arctic shipping following an appeal from the Government of Canada, Indigenous participants and testimony from WWF-Canada. During a week-long meeting at IMO headquarters in London, WWF highlighted recent reports outlining major gaps in spill response capacity in the Arctic. The Canadian delegation’s submission on how to reduce the impacts of HFO in the Arctic received wide support from all Arctic states (United States…

Nearly 300 delegates from International Maritime Organization (IMO) Member States, international NGOs and intergovernmental organizations have gathered at IMO Headquarters in London for the first meeting of the Intersessional Working Group on Reduction of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions from Ships (26-30 June). The group, which is meeting in a closed session, will provide a report to next week’s session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 71) (full preview here).

Mohammad Hassan Habibollahzedeh, the new Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran to IMO, visited IMO Headquarters January 28.   There,  Habibollahzedeh presented his letter of credentials to IMO Secretary General Koji Sekimizu.   The Islamic Republic of Iran has been a member of IMO since 1958.  

Belgium has become the 112th State to accede to International Maritime Organization (IMO)'s International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Co-operation (OPRC). The treaty establishes measures for dealing with pollution incidents, either nationally or in cooperation with other countries. Laurent Preud'homme, First Secretary of the Embassy of Belgium in the United Kingdom, deposited the instrument at IMO Headquarters in London, today (19 April). Preud'homme also deposited the instrument of accession for the Protocol to the OPRC relating to hazardous and noxious substances.

The IMO Council has endorsed a proposal by IMO Secretary-General Koji Sekimizu to adopt “Maritime education and training” as the World Maritime Day theme for 2015. Addressing the IMO Council, meeting for its 112th session at IMO Headquarters in London, Sekimizu said that effective standards of training remained the bedrock of a safe and secure shipping industry, which needs to preserve the quality, practical skills and competence of qualified human resources, in order to ensure its sustainability.

Bahamas' Prime Minister Christie has met with Global Shipping Giant Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), in Geneva. Principal and founder of MSC, Gianluigi Aponte and his senior management team met with Prime Minister at MSCs headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland for two days of deliberations. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss about matters relating to the expiring concessions under the Hawksbill Creek Agreement and growth of MSCs investments in The Bahamas. Meanwhile, Permanent Representative to the International Maritime Organization, H.E.

The Kingdom of Norway has become the first State to sign the Cape Town Agreement of 2012 on the Implementation of the Provisions of the 1993 Protocol relating to the Torremolinos International Convention for the Safety of Fishing Vessels, 1977. Ms. Ida Skard, Director General, Maritime Department, Ministry of Trade and Industry, Norway, signed the Agreement, at IMO Headquarters. The Cape Town Agreement of 2012 updates and amends a number of provisions of the Torremolinos Protocol.

Governments attending the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) this week have made real progress towards agreeing solutions to major issues that have previously impeded ratification of the IMO Ballast Water Management Convention, says the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), the global trade association for ship operators. Speaking at IMO headquarters, ICS Secretary General, Peter Hinchliffe, remarked, “We are very pleased…

Republic of Indonesia accedes to International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL Convention), Annexes III, IV, V and VI, & the International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue (SAR Convention). His Excellency Mr. T. M. Hamzah Thayeb, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the United Kingdom and Permanent Representative of the Republic of Indonesia to IMO (the International Maritime Organization) handed over the two Instruments of Accession to IMO Secretary-General Mr. Koji Sekimizu during a visit to IMO Headquarters.

United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Administrator Helen Clark met International Maritime Organization (IMO) Secretary-General Koji Sekimizu at IMO Headquarters on January 20, where the two highlighted common commitment to sustainable development and discussed the important role of maritime transportation in building the economies of developing countries. The leaders noted the two multimillion dollar partnerships projects executed by IMO in partnership with the UNDP to address the threat of invasive species in ships’ ballast water.

Just one week after becoming the 172nd member state of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the Belarus has acceded to three IMO treaties covering a variety of ship safety measures, including conventions on load lines and facilitation of maritime traffic. Ambassador of the Republic of Belarus to the U.K., Sergei Aleinik, met IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim at IMO headquarters in London on December 5 to deposit the instruments of accession. Belarus deposited its instrument…

​Merchant shipping should continue to take protective measures against possible piracy attacks in the Gulf of Aden and the western Indian Ocean through diligent application of International Maritime Organization (IMO) guidance and Best Management Practices (BMPs). IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim and Operation Commander Major General Rob Magowan of the EU Naval Force Operation Atalanta, which operates off the coast of Somalia, reiterated this key message when they met at IMO Headquarters in London on 6 October.

Peru has become the latest country to accede to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Ballast Water Management Convention (BWM Convention), a treaty designed to counter the threat to marine ecosystems by potentially invasive species transported in ships’ ballast water. On June 10, Ambassador of Peru to the United Kingdom, Claudio de la Puente Ribeyro, met IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim at IMO headquarters in London to hand over the instrument of accession. With the addition of Peru…

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…

Togo has acceded to two International Maritime Organization (IMO) treaties dealing with unlawful acts against the safety of maritime navigation, and the control of harmful anti-fouling systems on ships. The SUA Protocol covers acts including the seizure of ships by force, acts of violence against persons on board ships, and the placing of devices on board a ship which are likely to destroy or damage it. Parties signed up the AFS Convention are required to prohibit and/or restrict the use of harmful anti-fouling systems on ships flying their flag. Abra Dackey, Chargée d'Affaires a.i.

The 75th session of the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) was convened at the IMO Headquarters in London 15 to 24 May. In his opening speech, the Secretary-General, Bill O'Neil, said that many important developments had occurred since the last meeting with terrorist attacks in New York and Washington having shaken the entire world. He reiterated that IMO's response was swift, firm and decisive - shipping should not be allowed to become a soft target for international terrorism. Arguments, such as the non-existence of an internationally accepted definition of terrorism and IMO's apolitical character were brushed aside and an action plan was put in place almost immediately after the tragic events. Source: INTERTANKO

The IMO’s Sub-Committee on Standards of Training and Watchkeeping held its 43rd Session at IMO Headquarters on Monday 30 April through Friday 4 May 2012 under the Chairmanship of Rear Admiral Peter Brady (Jamaica) who elected to step down on completion of the meeting. Mr Bradley Groves (Australia) was chosen as his successor whilst Mrs Mayte Medina (USA) was elected as the on-going Vice-Chairman.

Denmark has donated DKK 200,000 for the United Nations’ International Maritime Organization (IMO). The money is intended to assist all countries in complying with the IMO requirements on ballast water management and CO2 emissions. DKK 200,000 from the Danish Foreign Ministry’s program for developing countries has just been sent to the IMO headquarters in London. Here, the money is to contribute to ensuring that all the member states are capable of meeting the requirements of the organization on ballast water management and CO2 emissions.

The Nairobi Wreck Removal Convention was adopted in May 2007 and will provide the legal basis for States to remove, or have removed, shipwrecks that may have the potential to affect adversely the safety of lives, goods and property at sea, as well as the marine environment. The Convention is open for signature until 18 November 2008 and, thereafter, will be open for ratification, accession or acceptance. It will enter into force twelve months following the date on which ten States have either signed it without reservation as to ratification, acceptance or approval or have deposited instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession with IMO. The Ambassador of The Netherlands to the , His Excellency Mr. P. W.