IMO TO FINALIZE RESOLUTIONS ON MARITIME SECURITY

IMO TO FINALIZE RESOLUTIONS ON MARITIME SECURITY    Final discussions concerning the worldwide introduction of new maritime security regulations will take at the International Maritime Organization in London during the meeting of the IMO’ maritime safety committee on Dec. 2-13.
   The IMO is expected to adopt amendments to the Safety Of Life At Sea international convention, a new “International Ship and Port Facility Security Code,” and conference resolutions.
   “Maritime security issues and bulk carrier safety are high on the agenda of IMO’s maritime safety committee.” the International Maritime Organization said.
   Coinciding with the meeting of the specialized safety committee, governments of IMO member countries will also meet, starting Dec. 9, within a “diplomatic conference on maritime security.” The governments are expected to approve the draft measures to tighten maritime security.
   The meetings of the IMO maritime safety committee and the diplomatic conference are scheduled to finish on Dec. 13.
   Ahead of the IMO meeting, U.S. senators of the Senate committee on commerce, science and transportation wrote a letter to IMO secretary-general William A. O’Neil to stress the importance of international security standards.
   The Senate letter, signed by Senate committee chairman Ernest F. Hollings and by John McCain, referred to IMO’s work on maritime security.
   The letter said that the U.S. Senate views “the adoption of a robust, uniform and predictable set of international security standards as critical to meeting the increased need for global maritime security.” The committee said that it is in the best interests of the United States to have such international instruments in place. The committee also told the IMO that it expects that additional maritime security legislation will be considered during the next session of the U.S. Congress.
   The letter followed a visit to Washington by Tom Allan, chairman of the IMO’s maritime safety committee.
   The IMO is a United Nations agency that has coordinated international efforts to improve security on ships and at the ship/port interface. Meanwhile, the World Customs Organization has worked on initiatives to improve supply chain and container security.