Resolution A.907(22)

LONG-TERM WORK PLAN OF THE ORGANIZATION (UP TO 2008)

(Adopted on 29 November 2001)

 

THE ASSEMBLY,

 

RECALLING resolution A.879(21) by which it approved the subjects for consideration in the long-term work plan of the Organization in the period up to 2006,

 

RECALLING ALSO that it requested the Council, the Maritime Safety Committee, the Legal Committee, the Marine Environment Protection Committee, the Technical Co-operation Committee and the Facilitation Committee to keep the respective lists of subjects under review in the light of developments in the work of the Organization while continuing to bear in mind the directives contained in resolution A.500(XII) on Objectives of the Organization, resolution A.777(18) on Work Methods and Organization of Work in Committees and their subsidiary bodies, and resolution A.900(21) on Objectives of the Organization in the 2000s,

 

HAVING CONSIDERED the proposal of the Council for the long-term work plan which has been prepared in the light of the views of the Maritime Safety Committee, the Legal Committee, the Marine Environment Protection Committee, the Technical Co-operation Committee and the Facilitation Committee,

 

1. APPROVES the long-term work plan comprising an indicative list of subjects for consideration by the Organization for the period up to 2008 as set out in the Annex to the present resolution;

 

2. REQUESTS the Council, the Maritime Safety Committee, the Legal Committee, the Marine Environment Protection Committee, the Technical Co-operation Committee and the Facilitation Committee to keep the respective lists of subjects under review in the light of developments in the work of the Organization, while continuing to bear in mind the directives contained in resolution A.500(XII), resolution A.777(18) and resolution A.900(21) and to report or recommend, as necessary, to the Assembly at its twenty-third regular session;

 

3. FURTHER REQUESTS all Committees, when considering proposals for future work, to ensure that the subjects proposed are those on which significant work could reasonably be envisaged in the foreseeable future;

 

4. STRESSES that all proposed items, especially those involving amendments to existing conventions, and particularly those which have been in force for a short period, should be evaluated by reference to the directives in resolution A.500(XII), and that due attention should be given to the requirement that a well-documented "compelling need" must be demonstrated for new or revised standards;

 

5. REITERATES ITS REQUEST to the Council, the Maritime Safety Committee, the Legal Committee, the Marine Environment Protection Committee, the Technical Co-operation Committee and the Facilitation Committee, when reviewing the long-term work plan and in making recommendations for the work programme for subsequent periods, to bear in mind the desirability of scheduling not more than one conference in each year, save in exceptional circumstances.

 

ANNEX

 

The following is an indicative list of subjects for consideration by the Maritime Safety Committee, the Legal Committee, the Marine Environment Protection Committee, the Technical Co-operation Committee and the Facilitation Committee for the period up to 2008. This list is not exhaustive and the subjects are not listed in order of priority:

 

MARITIME SAFETY COMMITTEE

 

The items listed below marked with an asterisk are considered to be high priority items. Work on the other items will be initiated accordingly only after proposals substantiating their importance and urgency have been submitted and endorsed by the Committee, or a compelling need to do so has been clearly established and the Committee, has agreed that urgent action should be taken on them.

 

I OBJECTIVES

 

1. Pursuant to the provisions of Articles 1 and 28 of the Convention on the International Maritime Organization, to encourage the general adoption of the highest practicable standards in respect of matters concerning maritime safety and efficiency of navigation, including any matter within the scope of the Organization, relating to the design, construction and equipment of ships (and other marine vehicles), training and qualification of seafarers and fishing vessel personnel, manning of ships from a safety standpoint, rules for the prevention of collisions, search and rescue, aids to navigation, maritime safety procedures and requirements, hydrographic information, handling of dangerous cargoes, log-books and navigational records, marine casualty investigations, salvage and any other matter directly affecting maritime safety (e.g. fire safety, maritime communications and the safe transport of cargoes generally), and with due regard to the contents of resolutions A.500(XII), A.777(18) and A.900(21).

 

2. To provide the necessary machinery for performing any duties assigned to it and to maintain such close relationship with other bodies as may further the purposes of the Organization.

 

II GENERAL SUBJECTS

 

*1. Implementation, enforcement, monitoring, technical interpretation and improvement of conventions, codes, recommendations and guidelines.

 

*2. Role of the human element in the prevention of maritime casualties and accidents.

 

*3. Promotion and maintenance of a safety culture.

 

*4. Shipboard and shore-based management for the safe operation of ships.

 

*5. Formal safety assessment.

 

6. Procedures for the control of ships, including deficiency reports.

 

*7. Casualty statistics and investigations into serious casualties.

 

8. Harmonization of survey and certification requirements.

 

9. Prevention/suppression of piracy and armed robbery against ships; and other unlawful acts which may threaten the safety of navigation.

 

*10. Prevention/suppression of acts of terrorism against shipping.

 

*11. Safety measures and procedures for the treatment of persons rescued at sea.

 

12. Co-operation with the United Nations and other international bodies on matters of mutual interest.

 

13. Technical input in technical co-operation projects.

 

III SPECIFIC SUBJECTS

 

Items related to ships' design, construction, machinery, electrical installations and equipment

 

1. Safety aspects of the design, construction, machinery, electrical installations, equipment and operation of specific types of ships, including fishing vessels.

 

2. Intact and damage stability, subdivision and load lines of ships.

 

3. Manoeuvrability of ships.

 

4. Matters pertaining to fire protection, detection and extinction, fire-test procedures and other matters related to fire safety on board ships.

 

5. Safe evacuation, survival and recovery following maritime casualties or in case of distress.

 

6. Tonnage measurement of ships.

 

Items related to navigation and radiocommunications

 

7. Measures to improve navigational safety, including ships' routeing, requirements and standards for navigational aids, shipborne navigational systems and requirements, ship reporting systems and vessel traffic services.

 

8. Monitoring the operation of the global maritime distress and safety system and other maritime radiocommunication matters (including maritime safety information, shipborne radio equipment and operational procedures) and the worldwide provision of maritime search and rescue services.

 

Items related to training, certification and watchkeeping

 

9. Training, watchkeeping and operational procedures for maritime personnel, including seafarers, fishing vessel personnel, maritime pilots, VTS operators, those responsible for maritime safety on mobile offshore units and shore-based port personnel.

 

10. Seafarers' certificates of competency.

 

Items related to cargo handling

 

11. Safe handling and carriage by sea of solid and liquid bulk cargoes.

 

12. Safe handling and carriage of dangerous goods in packaged form, including portable tanks, unit loads, other cargo transport units, shipborne barges and intermediate bulk containers (IBCs).

 

13. Emergency procedures and safety measures for ships carrying dangerous goods, medical first aid in case of accidents involving dangerous goods, and the safe use of pesticides in ships.

 

14. Safe cargo stowage and securing and container safety matters.

 

15. Safety at the ship/port interface.

 

16. Transboundary movement of hazardous waste.

 

LEGAL COMMITTEE

 

I Specific subjects

 

1. Completion of preparatory work on a convention on wreck removal;

 

2. Monitoring the work of the Joint IMO/ILO Ad Hoc Expert Working Group on Liability and Compensation regarding Claims for Death, Personal Injury and Abandonment of Seafarers;

 

3. Revision of the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Maritime Navigation, 1988 and the Protocol for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Fixed Platforms located on the Continental Shelf, 1988 (SUA Convention and Protocol);

 

4. Follow-up action regarding the question of places of refuge;

 

5. Possible comprehensive revision of the Civil Liability and Fund Conventions on liability and compensation for oil pollution damage; and

 

6. Monitoring the implementation of the HNS Convention.

 

II General subjects

 

1. Possible revision of maritime law conventions in the light of proven need and subject to the directives in resolution A.500(XII) and resolution A.900(21);

 

2. Monitoring the implementation of conventions adopted as a result of the work of the Legal Committee;

 

3. Examination of issues relating to the role of the Organization under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea;

 

4. Promotion of IMO's technical co-operation subprogramme in the field of maritime legislation;

 

5. Legal issues arising in other IMO bodies and referred to the Legal Committee;

 

6. Co-ordination and co-operation with the UN and other UN specialized agencies in legal matters of common interest; and

 

7. Examination of maritime law initiatives undertaken by Member States or non-governmental bodies.

 

MARINE ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION COMMITTEE

 

I Objectives

 

1. Pursuant to the provisions of Articles 1 and 38 of the Convention on the International Maritime Organization, to encourage adoption of the highest practicable standards in matters concerning the prevention and control of marine pollution from ships with due regard to the context of resolutions A.500(XII), A.777(18) and A.900(21). More immediately, to promote worldwide acceptance, implementation and uniform interpretation of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973, as modified by the Protocol of 1978 relating thereto, (MARPOL 73/78) as well as of the International Convention for Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Co-operation, 1990 (OPRC 1990) and the Protocol on Preparedness, Response and Co-operation to Pollution Incidents by Hazardous and Noxious Substances (OPRC-HNS Protocol).

 

2. To adhere to the principles and declaration adopted by UNCED in the field of marine environment protection and response to pollution incidents, including the principle of precautionary approach.

 

3. To provide the necessary machinery for performing any duties assigned to it and to maintain such close relationship with other bodies as may further the purposes of the Organization.

 

4. To promote, in co-operation with UNDP, UNEP, the World Bank, in particular the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and national development agencies, IMO's programmes of technical co-operation in the field of marine environmental protection, including the management and execution of large scale projects.

 

II Specific subjects

 

1. Implementation, enforcement, amendment and uniform interpretation of the provisions of MARPOL 73/78 and related Codes, recommendations and guidelines, and monitoring of the effectiveness with which the Convention is implemented.

 

2. Reports regarding casualty investigations by Member States in relation to marine pollution incidents.

 

3. Reports by Parties regarding implementation of MARPOL 73/78, which is mandatory under the Convention (MEPC/Circ.318).

 

4. Follow-up action to UNCED and the World Summit on Sustainable Development and Environment, including prevention of marine pollution from offshore oil and gas activities.

 

5. Review of the standards for the design, construction and operation of oil and chemical tankers, including those for pollution prevention equipment taking into account recommendations resulting from recent accidents.

 

6. Prevention of air pollution from ships, including measures to promote the entry into force and implementation of MARPOL Annex VI.

 

7. Evaluation of chemicals under the provisions of Annex II to MARPOL 73/78 as contained in the IBC Code.

 

8. Implementation of the Harmonized System of Survey and Certification under MARPOL 73/78 and implementation of the Condition Assessment Scheme (CAS).

 

9. Identification and protection of special areas and particularly sensitive sea areas (PSSAs).

 

10. Implementation of the ISM Code with regard to effective management for the prevention and control of marine pollution.

 

11. Implementation of the INF Code and related matters, including environmental impact assessment.

 

12. Consideration of measures to minimize the risks of introducing harmful aquatic organisms and pathogens through discharges from ships' ballast water and associated sediments.

 

13. Matters relating to harmful anti- fouling systems.

 

14. Matters relating to reception facilities in ports.

 

15. Development of Formal Safety Assessment (FSA) procedures as well as addressing environmental indexing of ships.

 

16. Development of measures to prevent and control marine pollution from small craft.

 

17. Development of measures for the prevention of marine pollution by noxious solid substances carried in bulk.

 

18. Development of measures to prevent and control marine pollution from ship recycling and measures to reduce human health hazards, in co-operation with UNEP, ILO and other stakeholders.

 

19. Implementation, enforcement, amendment and uniform interpretation of the provisions of the OPRC Convention and the OPRC-HNS Protocol, and implementation of the relevant Conference resolutions.

 

20. Matters related to the 1973 Intervention Protocol.

 

21. Principles for ports of refuge or shelter for ships in distress.

 

22. Co-operation with the United Nations and other international bodies on matters of mutual interest.

 

23. Review of the Sub-Committees' structure, with a view to increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of the Committee and the Sub-Committees.

 

24. Development of an environmental strategy integrated with the overall safety strategy of the Organization.

 

25. Review of the Committee's guidelines.

 

TECHNICAL CO-OPERATION COMMITTEE

I Long-term goal, mission statement and priorities for the future

 

1. Through the adoption of resolution A.900(21) on Objectives of the Organization in the 2000s, the Assembly directed the Organization's organs to focus their attention on, among other subjects, strengthening IMO's technical co-operation programmes and delivery, in order to achieve sustainable development and the effective implementation of the Integrated Technical Co-operation Programme (ITCP).

 

2. In conjunction with the above resolution, the Assembly also approved resolution A.901(21) on IMO and Technical Co-operation in the 2000s, which states that the long-term goal of IMO's technical co-operation work is:

 

"maritime capacity-building, as a major contributor towards ensuring safer shipping and cleaner oceans."

 

3. The Assembly also decided that IMO's mission statement, in relation to technical co-operation in the 2000s, would be:

 

"to help developing countries improve their ability to comply with international rules and standards relating to maritime safety and the prevention and control of marine pollution, giving priority to technical assistance programmes that focus on human resource development, particularly through training, and institutional capacity-building".

 

4. The Assembly decided further that the ITCP should focus on the three priorities illustrated in the table below, since together they can ensure sustainable maritime development and efficient and safe maritime transport services, as well as effective environmental protection: