IMO FOCUSES ON STOWAWAY CRISIS, DRUG SMUGGLING

IMO FOCUSES ON STOWAWAY CRISIS, DRUG SMUGGLING

   The International Maritime Organization has said it will give the stowaway crisis high-priority status in its future agenda.
   Over 500 stowaways incidents have been reported to the IMO since its last Facilitation Committee meeting in 1998. But IMO members agree that the number of cases is actually much higher.
   A correspondence group has been set up by the IMO to study the stowaway problem. The group must come up with ways to make recommendations as to how best to establish more binding regulations.
   The IMO will begin to produce quarterly and annual reports about stowaway incidents. Industry groups, such as the Baltic and International Maritime Council and the International Chamber of Shipping, will encourage their carrier members to report all stowaway incidents.
   Separately, the IMO has taken action to endorse agreements between industry and national law enforcement agencies to crack down on drug smuggling.
   The IMO made an amendment to its Facilitation Convention to encourage maritime nations to pursue these types of agreements. The amendment is based on an anti-drug smuggling model established by the World Customs Organization.
   The amendment takes effect on January 1, 2001.