IMO CONCERNED OVER POTENTIAL TERRORIST CAUSE OF ?LIMBURG? EXPLOSION

IMO CONCERNED OVER POTENTIAL TERRORIST CAUSE OF ôLIMBURGö EXPLOSION    William O’Neil, secretary-general of the International Maritime Organization, expressed concern that the blast on board the French tanker “Limburg” off the coast of Yemen may have been caused by terrorists.
   “Should this be the case, the matter would be of particular concern to the organization at a time when final preparations were being made to establish an adequate regulatory regime on maritime security to protect shipping against acts of terrorism,” the IMO said.
   O’Neil contacted the government of France and Yemen and urged them to expedite the finalization of the investigation report into the casualty, so that action could be taken on any lessons to be learned without delay.
   The International Maritime Organization will hold a diplomatic conference in December to adopt amendments to the Safety Of Life At Sea convention and a new International Ship and Port Facility Security Code. O’Neil invited parties concerned to advise the IMO conference in light of the findings of the investigation into the “Limburg.”
   The IMO has also offered assistance to the government of Yemen, which has asked for help to combat the pollution caused by oil spilled into the water and assess the damage resulting from that pollution.
   O’Neil advised governments and the industry to “take any sensible measures justified by the degree of risk in areas of operation of their ships, to increase awareness of the potential dangers so that their ships become extremely vigilant and alert to any security threat they may encounter.”
   However, while stressing the need for cooperation among all parties concerned, O’Neil advocated “a sense of proportion in any action contemplated” in the context of the “Limburg” incident, the IMO said.
   The explosion of the tanker “Limburg” is believed to the first terrorist attack on a merchant vessel since the “Achille Lauro” hijacking in 1985 by Palestinian terrorists.