Customs and ports urged to maintain flow of critical goods during pandemic
Trade by sea must continue to flow to maintain the continued provision of essential goods, including vital medical supplies, during the unprecedented global situation arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.
This was the message of a joint statement from the heads of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the World Customs Organization (WCO), issued on Friday (17 April).
IMO and PSCs adopt a pragmatic approach to ship inspections
In a press release yesterday, IMO and PSC inspection authorities announced that they have set a pragmatic approach to support global supply chain..
The port State control (PSC) regimes which carry out inspections onboard ships to monitor and enforce compliance with international regulations have highlighted their commitment to ensuring shipping continues to trade safely, securely and efficiently during the coronavirus pandemic, while respecting the important role of seafarers as key workers and protecting the environment.
IMO calls for seafarers to be designated as “key workers” during COVID-19
Ships and ports need to remain fully operational in order to maintain complete functionality of supply chains..
Governments and their relevant national authorities should therefore engage with appropriate stakeholders within their national shipping and ports sectors to discuss arrangements for the continued facilitation of international maritime trade, including port hinterland connections..
This is one of the recommendations of the IMO alongwith recommendations that seafarers be designated as “key workers providing essential services” during the COVID-19 pandemic allowing them exemptions from national travel or movement restrictions in order to facilitate their joining or leaving ships..
Is your country already following or about to follow this especially when you are under lockdown with COVID-19..?? Let’s take a quick survey shall we..??
Tackling COVID-19 – a message from IMO
IMO Secretary-General stresses the vital need to maintain commerce by sea and protect seafarers’ welfare in face of coronavirus shut down.
Stating that in these difficult times, the ability for shipping services and seafarers to deliver vital goods, including medical supplies and foodstuffs, will be central to responding to, and eventually overcoming, this pandemic, IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim has issued a statement addressing the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the shipping industry and the global supply chain.
MSC becomes the first casualty of IMO’s Carriage Ban
We previously reported that as part of MARPOL Annex VI regulation (IMO2020), the member states of the International Maritime Organisation adopted a complementary amendment which came into effect on the 1st of March 2020..
The “Carriage Ban” as it is called, prohibits the carriage of non-compliant HSFO (Heavy Sulphur Fuel Oil) for purposes of propulsion or operation on board a ship unless the ship has been fitted with an exhaust gas cleaning system – EGCS commonly known as scrubber..
As from this date it will be considered an offense for any ship to be carrying fuel that contains sulphur content higher than 0.5% for purposes of propulsion or operation, unless the ship has a scrubber..
In the previous article, we raised a question “Will the IMO, which remained steadfast in its implementation of the IMO2020 regulation from 1st Jan 2020 also remain steadfast with the implementation of the “Carriage Ban” come 1st March 2020..??”..
Well it seemingly has..
Cape Town Agreement comes into force
The Torremolinos Declaration on fishing vessel safety and combating IUU fishing has now reached 51 signatories.
The entry into force of IMO’s Cape Town Agreement on fishing vessel safety will be crucial for improved safety at sea for fishers and will support the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.
During a European Union High-level Ministerial Maritime Conference in Opatija, Croatia (10-11 March), participants including IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim highlighted the urgent need to bring the Cape Town Agreement into force.
The importance of declaring correct cargo details and consequences of cargo misdeclaration
Incorrect cargo details, misdeclaration of cargo and its details has been the bane of many shipping lines over the years..
The consequences of cargo and weight misdeclaration were so severe that the IMO had to implement SOLAS VGM regulations..
However there are still several incidents of such cargo misdeclaration including hazardous goods which have caused several maritime disasters..
In this article, Peregrine Storrs-Fox, Risk Management Director of TT Club writes about the importance of declaring correct cargo details and consequences of cargo misdeclaration..
IMO Carriage Ban comes into effect and 5 beneficial changes of IMO2020
The much reported MARPOL Annex VI regulation (a.k.a IMO2020) which was implemented to lower the current global limit for sulphur content of marine fuels from 3.50% to 0.50% came into effect on 1st January 2020..
As of 1st March 2020, the complementary International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution form ships (MARPOL) amendment (Carriage Ban) came into effect..
IMO establishes new department to tackle key global issues
A new department has been established within the IMO Secretariat to focus on supporting Member States to tackle key global issues in the context of international shipping – and help promote sustainable development..
IMO2020 – Best practices, Guidelines for Port State Controls and more
Maritime shipping has one of the lowest carbon emissions compared to other modes of transport..
Despite this, the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the regulatory authority for international shipping, has been working to reduce the harmful impacts of shipping on the environment since the 1960s..
In April 2018, the IMO adopted an initial strategy on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from ships by at least 50% by 2050 compared to 2008 levels..
As part of this strategy, on January 1st 2020 IMO’s MARPOL Annex VI (colloquially known as IMO2020) regulated to lower the current global limit for sulphur content of marine fuels from 3.50% to 0.50% was implemented..
We caught up with Roel Hoenders, Acting Head of Air Pollution and Energy Efficiency, Sub-Division for Protective Measures, Marine Environment Division, with the IMO for his views on the implementation of the #IMO2020, and also to discuss the best practices and guidelines for Port State Controls (PSC)..