IMO Council Endorses Sub-Committee Restructuring

by | Nov 15, 2012 | News

IMO meeting

The IMO Council has endorsed, in principle, a restructuring of IMO's Sub-Committees, in order to better address the technical and operational issues covered by IMO regulations.

The restructuring is part of a review and reform process initiated by Secretary-General Mr. Koji Sekimizu aimed at ensuring the organisation meets current challenges as a forward-looking, efficient and cost-conscious organization.

MSC and MEPC to Consider Proposals

IMO’s main technical committees, the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) and the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) were invited to consider the proposals, which could see the number of Sub-Committees reduced from nine to seven, potentially saving four meeting weeks per biennium.

Under the proposals:

  • The Sub-Committee on Bulk Liquids and Gases (BLG) would be renamed the Sub-Committee on the Environment, and would be tasked with dealing exclusively with environment-related matters, to allow the MEPC to delegate preliminary technical/scientific discussions to a sub-committee.
  • The Sub-Committee on Dangerous Goods, Solid Cargoes and Containers (DSC) would be renamed as the Sub-Committee on Cargoes (to include both wet and dry cargoes), in order to address all cargo issues in one sub-committee.
  • The Sub-Committee on Radiocommunications, Search and Rescue (COMSAR) and the Sub-Committee on Navigation (NAV) would be amalgamated, into a combined single sub-committee, reflecting the fact that there is increasing commonality in much of the work of COMSAR and NAV, relating to the operation of IT-based equipment, its use and its integration, including e-navigation. There would need to be further discussion on how search and rescue issues would be dealt with, and the Council requested further information on how this would impact on the work of the Joint IMO/International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Working Group on SAR which, among other things, reviews and develops draft amendments to the International Aeronautical and Maritime Search and Rescue (IAMSAR) Manual.
  • The Ship Design and Equipment, Fire Protection, and Stability, Load Lines and Fishing Vessel Safety Sub-Committees would be amalgamated into two new technical sub-committees: one to address ship design, stability and related codes, whilst the other would address equipment issues related to fire safety and life-saving.
  • The Sub-Committee on Flag State Implementation (FSI) would be renamed the Sub-Committee on Implementation, to reflect the fact that its work has been increasingly addressing issues related to the implementation of IMO instruments – not only for flag states but also for port and coastal states.
  • For the time being, the Sub-Committee on Standards of Training and Watchkeeping Is unaffected by the proposals.

The last review of the sub-committee structure was in the 1996-1997 biennium when the number of Sub-Committees was reduced from eleven to nine (BLG, COMSAR, DE, DSC, FP, FSI, NAV, SLF and STW).