Resolution A.919(22)

ACCEPTANCE AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION ON MARITIME SEARCH AND RESCUE, 1979, AS AMENDED

(adopted on 29 November 2001)

THE ASSEMBLY,

RECALLING Article 15(j) of the Convention on the International Maritime Organization (the Organization) concerning the functions of the Assembly in relation to regulations and guidelines concerning maritime safety and the prevention and control of marine pollution from ships,

RECALLING ALSO that the International Conference, held in Hamburg in April 1979, adopted the International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue (SAR) 1979, which came into force in 1985,

RECALLING FURTHER that, by resolution MSC.70(69), the Maritime Safety Committee, at its sixty-ninth session, adopted amendments to the SAR Convention which entered into force on 1 January 2000, with a view to clarifying the responsibilities of States and putting greater emphasis on regional co-operation and co-ordination between Stales in the provision of Search and Rescue (SAR) services,

RECOGNIZING the humanitarian purpose of the SAR Convention and the obligations under chapter V of he International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), 1974, as amended, for the provision of minimum SAR services,

NOTING WITH CONCERN that, twenty-two years after its adoption, only 71 States have so far become Parties to the SAR Convention,

NOTING ALSO WITH CONCERN that a considerable number of States have not identified and made available responsible authorities to receive and act upon distress alerts, and that, as a result, the SAR facilities available are insufficient for effective SAR operations in certain parts of the world,

BEING CONVINCED of the need to achieve fall implementation of the SAR Convention through the provision of effective SAR services globally and through the completion of the global International Maritime SAR Plan,

CONSIDERING IT DESIRABLE that adequate SAR coordination facilities, for the rescue of persons in distress at sea, be provided as a matter of priority,

NOTING ALSO that the Maritime Safety Committee, at its seventy-fourth session, approved the merger of SAR.2 and SAR.3 circulars which constitutes the provisional International Maritime SAR Plan,

RECALLING ALSO the adoption by resolution A.894(21) of the International Aeronautical and Maritime Search and Rescue (IAMSAR) Manual,

HAVING CONSIDERED the recommendation made by the Maritime Safety Committee at its seventy-fourth session,

1. URGES States that have not yet become Parties to the SAR Convention to do so at the earliest possible time;

2. FURTHER URGES Member States and Parties to the SAR Convention, as far as practicable to:

.1 establish the basic elements of a SAR service and to follow the relevant minimum standards and guidelines, developed by the Organization, as stipulated in paragraph 2.1.2 of the Annex to the SAR Convention, such as the IAMSAR Manual and other instruments listed in SAR.7/Circulars, as amended;

.2 in the interim, follow the relevant parts of the provisional International Maritime SAR Plan, until the global International Maritime SAR Plan is completed;

.3 conclude bilateral or multilateral agreements as per paragraph 2.1.4 of the Annex to the SAR Convention and notify the Secretary-General of the Organization of their conclusion for circulation to its Parties and all Member States of the Organization;

.4 individually, or in co-operation with other States, make or agree on regional or subregional arrangements as per paragraph 2.1.5 of the Annex to the SAR Convention to facilitate and expedite co-operation and co-ordination in the conduct of effective and efficient search and rescue operations in their respective sea areas in accordance with the provisions of the SAR Convention; and

.5 notify the Secretary-General of the Organization of such arrangements for circulation to all Member States of the Organization and Parties to the SAR Convention;