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1- International
Maritime Organizations (IMO)
Several IMO conventions contain
regulations that permit Governments to inspect foreign ships that
visit their ports to ensure that they meet international (mainly
IMO) requirements. This involves creating an administration ,a team
of surveyors and inspectors , consequently can be expensive.
But, by combining with other countries to form regional Port State
Control agreements these costs can be reduced and the effectiveness
of the inspection programme increased. At the same time, the data
collected can help to target flags, companies and individual ships
that have a poor safety record.
The first regional agreement was
created in Western Europe in 1982 by means of the Paris Memorandum
of Understanding on Port State Control.
Since then other regional agreements have
been setup in Latin America, Asia and the Pacific, the wider Caribbean,
the Mediterranean and, most recently west and Central Africa agreement.
The present momentum on the establishment
of Port State Control regimes in the various regions of the world
stems from IMO initiatives at the beginning of this decade when,
with a view to eradicating substandard ships the Assembly of the
International Maritime Origination adopted resolution A.682 (17)
“Regional Cooperation in the Control of Ships and Discharges
“, as proposed by the Secretary General of IMO to promote
the establishment of such regimes in the various regions of the
world following the pattern adopted by the European region
through the Paris Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control
(MOU) in 1982.
Having established the above referred to
regional PSC capabilities, which of course are operating with
various degrees of success, the next major initiative now is the
establishing of Port State Control in the Indian Ocean region
and at the moment IMO is also in consultations with the maritime
Authorities of countries within the remaining regions not yet
subject to specific Port state Control agreements. It is envisaged
that during the period 1999- 2000 Preparatory Meeting aimed at
the establishment of such agreements will take place when the
above is completed full global coverage through independent, although
cooperating, regional agreements in various regions of the world
will be achieved.
IMO Conventions
The international maritime conventions mentioned
in the previous section, referred to as the relevant instruments,
are as follows:
- International Convention on Load Lines
1966, as amended, and its 1988 Protocol, (LOADLINES 66/88);
- International Convention for the Safety
of Life at Sea (SOLAS), 1974, its Protocol of 1978, as amended,
and the Protocol of 1988, (SOLAS 74/78/88);
- International Convention for the Prevention
of Pollution from Ships, 1973, as modified by the Protocol of
1978, as amended (MARPOL 73/78);
- International Convention on Standards
of Training, Certification and Watch keeping for Seafarers 1978,
as amended (STCW 78);
- Convention on the International Regulations
for Preventing Collisions at Sea 1972, as amended (COLREG 72);
- International Convention on Tonnage
Measurement of Ships 1969 (TONNAGE 1969);
International Maritime Organization
Maritime Safety Division
4 Albert Embankment
London SE1 7SR, United Kingdom
Telephone:44-207-7357611
Telefax:44-207-5873210
Telex: 065+23588 IMOLDN G
2- International
Labour Office (ILO)
Inspections on board ships under
the Merchant Shipping (Minimum Standards) Convention, 1976 (ILO
Convention No. 147) relate to:
- Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138);
- Minimum Age (Sea) Convention (Revised),1936
(No. 58);
- Minimum Age (Sea) Convention, 1920
(No. 7);
- Medical Examination (Seafarers) Convention,
1946 (No. 73);
- Prevention of Accidents (Seafarers)
Convention, 1970 (No. 134) (Articles 4 and 7);
- Accommodation of Crews Convention (Revised),
1949 (No. 92);
- Food and Catering (Ships’ Crews)
Convention, 1946 (No. 68) (Article 5);
- Officers’ Competency Certificates
Convention, 1936 (No. 53) (Articles 3 and 4).
All complaints regarding conditions on board
will be investigated thoroughly and action will be taken as deemed
necessary by the PSCO. If necessary, the ship will be detained until
appropriate corrective action is taken.
International Labour Office
Maritime Industries Branch
4 Route des Morillons
CH-1211 Geneva 22, Switzerland
Telephone:41-22-7997466
Fax : 41-22-7997050
3- The European Commission
(EC)
Directorate-General
for Transport
Commission of the European Communities
Unit D3
Rue de la Loi 200,B.1049 Bruxelles,
Belgium
Telephone: 32-2-2968265
Fax: 32-2-2969066
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