- Shippers should be pleased with the new objectives adopted by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) for the decade beginning in 2000. Continuing his comments from Nov. 15th, Secretary
General William O'Neill proposed a new vision for IMO based upon less regulation and a shifting emphasis onto the human factor in maritime safety and environmental protection.
Secretary O'Neill drafted his resolution for the next decade to provide a set of "clear and unambiguous objectives." He pressed IMO delegates to use this resolution to provide a
thrust on where the organization should focus attention for the near future.
Comments by delegates were very positive. Finland and other delegates felt the goal to develop a culture of maritime safety and environmental
conscience extremely important. They believe this task will take more effort then ever before exerted by IMO and these efforts should be considered when deciding on the IMO budget later.
China, Singapore, Canada and many other delegates expressed their support in shifting the emphasis onto people, a crucial goal into the new millennium.
Excerpts of Assembly Resolution A21/8/1 include:
Directs the Committees under the co-ordination of the Council:
- to take measures to implement the proactive policy agreed in the 1990s more actively than in the past, so that trends which might adversely affect the safety of
ships and those on board and/or the environment may be identified at the earliest feasible stage and action taken to avoid or mitigate such effects.
To focus their attention on:
- shifting emphasis onto people;
- ensuring the effective and uniform implementation of existing IMOstandards and regulations;
- addressing safety and environmental protection issues, to the extent feasible, by ship type with particular emphasis on passenger ships and bulk carriers;
- developing a safety culture and environmental conscience in all activities undertaken by the Organization;
- avoiding excessive regulation; and
- strengthening the Organization's technical co-operation programmes and delivery to achieve sustainable development and effective implementation of the Integrated Technical Co-operation Programme."
Note: The Full Resolution will be available directly from IMO in the near future.
The International Maritime Organization -
LONDON
- Shippers should be pleased with the new objectives adopted by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) for the decade beginning in 2000. Continuing his comments from Nov. 15th, Secretary
General William O'Neill proposed a new vision for IMO based upon less regulation and a shifting emphasis onto the human factor in maritime safety and environmental protection.