Resolution MEPC.133(53)

DESIGNATION OF THE TORRES STRAIT AS AN EXTENSION OF THE GREAT BARRIER REEF PARTICULARLY SENSITIVE SEA AREA

(Adopted on 22 July 2005)

 

 

THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION COMMITTEE,

 

BEING AWARE of the ecological, social, economic, cultural, scientific and educational value of the Torres Strait, as well as its vulnerability to damage by shipping traffic and activities in the area and the steps taken by Australia and Papua New Guinea to address that vulnerability,

 

NOTING that the Guidelines for the Identification and Designation of Particularly Sensitive Sea Areas adopted under resolution A.927(22) set out procedures for the designation of Particularly Sensitive Sea Areas,

 

HAVING CONSIDERED the proposal from Australia and Papua New Guinea to extend the existing Great Barrier Reef Particularly Sensitive Sea Area to include the Torres Strait,

 

HAVING AGREED that criteria for identification of a Particularly Sensitive Sea Area provided in resolution A.927(22) are fulfilled for the Torres Strait,

 

1. DESIGNATES the Torres Strait, as defined in Annex 1 to this resolution, as an extension of the Great Barrier Reef Particularly Sensitive Sea Area;

 

2. RECOGNIZES the establishment of a two-way route through the Torres Strait as defined in Annex 2 to this resolution;

 

3. RECOMMENDS that Governments recognize the need for effective protection of the Great Barrier Reef and Torres Strait region and inform ships flying their flag that they should act in accordance with Australia's system of pilotage for merchant ships 70 m in length and over or oil tankers, chemical tankers, and gas carriers, irrespective of size when navigating:

 

(a) the inner route of the Great Barrier Reef between the northern extreme of Cape York Peninsula (10°41'S) and 16°40'S and in Hydrographers Passage; and

 

(b) the Torres Strait and the Great North East Channel between Booby Island (latitude 10°36'S, longitude 141°54'E) and Bramble Cay (latitude 09°09'S, longitude 143°53'E).

 

4. REVOKES resolution MEPC.45(30).

 

Annex 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PARTICULARLY SENSITIVE SEA AREA: TORRES STRAIT

 

1. Description of the area

 

1.1 The Torres Strait lies to the north and north east of Cape York and separates Australia and Papua New Guinea. It is about 90 nautical miles wide and 150 nautical miles long although useable routes for larger commercial vessels are limited to the Prince of Wales Channel and the Great North East Channel. The area lies within the exclusive economic zones of Australia and Papua New Guinea and includes some areas of the territorial sea and internal waters of both countries. The recommended pilotage system that is operational in the area has pilot embarkation areas entirely within the territorial waters of Australia. The eastern boundary and part of the western boundary of the PSSA aligns with the "nearest land" definition included in Annexes I, II, IV and V of MARPOL 73/78. The northern and a large part of the western boundary aligns with the Torres Strait Protected Zone (TSPZ) established by the Torres Strait Treaty between Australia and Papua New Guinea. The co-ordinates of the Torres Strait PSSA extension are set out below as amendments to the existing Great Barrier Reef PSSA described in resolution MEPC.44(30). Note that the geographic positions in italics are those adopted in 1990 to define the Great Barrier Reef Particularly Sensitive Sea Area and are unchanged.

 

1.2 The area is defined by a line:

 

(a) commencing at a point on the coast of Australia in latitude 11°00' South, longitude 142°08' East;

 

(b) running thence north-westerly along the geodesic to the point of latitude 10°28' South, longitude 141°20' East;

 

(c) thence north along the meridian of longitude 141°20'East to its intersection by the parallel point of latitude 9°33' South;

 

(d) thence north-easterly along the geodesic to the point of latitude 9°13' South, longitude 141°57' East;

 

(e) thence north along the meridian of longitude 141°57' East to its intersection by the southern coastline of the island of Papua New Guinea at low water;

 

(f) thence generally easterly along the southern coastline of the island of Papua New Guinea, that is along the low water line on that coast and across any river mouth and in the case of the mouth of the Mai Kussa River along the parallel of latitude 9°09' South, thence along the southern coastline of the island of Papua New Guinea, that is along the low water line on that coast and across any river mouth to its intersection by the meridian of longitude 142°36' East;

 

(g) thence south along that meridian to its intersection by the parallel of latitude 9°21' South;

 

(h) thence north-easterly along the geodesic between that point of intersection and the point of latitude 9°09' South, longitude 143°47'20" East;

 

(i) thence along the outer limit of the three-mile territorial sea of Black Rocks, so as to pass to the north-west of Black Rocks, to the point of intersection of that limit by the outer limit of the three-mile territorial sea of Bramble Cay;

 

(j) thence along that outer limit, so as to pass successively to the north and east of Bramble Cay, to the point of latitude 9°08'30" South, longitude 143°55'57" East;

 

(k) thence north-easterly to the point of latitude 9°00' South, longitude 144°30' East;

 

(l) thence generally southerly along a line joining the following geographic positions:

 

 

(m) thence westerly along the parallel of latitude 24°30' South to its intersection by the coastline of Queensland at low