International Maritime Organization - IMO

Introduction

	IMO was established (in 1948) as a specialized agency of the United Nations.
	Its objective was  mainly to evolve international machinery to improve safety at sea.
	Since it came into being, it’s main area of work has been to improve maritime safety and prevent the pollution of the marine environment.
	This is reflected in its motto of `safer shipping and cleaner seas’.

Structure

Assembly

Council

Four main Committees

	The Maritime Safety Committee
	The Marine Environment Protection Committee
	The Legal Committee
	The Technical Co-operation Committee.

There is also

	A Facilitation Committee
	A number of Sub-Committees

These additional committees support the work of the main technical committees.

Assembly

This is the highest Governing Body of the Organization.

It consists of all Member States and it meets once every two years in regular sessions.

May also meet in an extraordinary session if necessary.

The Assembly is responsible for:

	Approving the work program.
	Voting the budget
	Determining the financial arrangements of the Organization.

The Assembly also elects the Council.

Council

The Council is elected by the Assembly for two-year terms beginning after each regular session of the Assembly.

The Council is the Executive Organ of IMO and is responsible, under the Assembly, for supervising the work of the Organization.

Between sessions of the Assembly the Council performs all the functions of the Assembly, except the function of making recommendations to Governments on maritime safety and pollution prevention.

Other functions of the Council are to:

	Co-ordinate the activities of the organs of the Organization;
	Consider the draft work program and budget estimates of the Organization and submit them to the Assembly;
	Receive reports and proposals of the Committees and other organs and submit them to the Assembly and Member States, with comments and recommendations as appropriate;
	Appoint the Secretary-General, subject to the approval of the Assembly;
	Enter into agreements or arrangements concerning the relationship of the Organization with other organizations, subject to approval by the Assembly.

Council members

The IMO Convention provides that in electing the Members of the Council the Assembly shall observe the following criteria:

	(a)    Ten shall be States with the largest interest in providing international shipping services;
	(b)    Ten shall be other States with the largest interest in international seaborne trade; and
	(c)    Twenty shall be States not elected under (a) or (b) above which have special interests in maritime transport or navigation and whose election to the Council will ensure the representation of all major geographic areas of the world.

Four main Committees

Maritime Safety Committee (MSC)

The MSC is the highest technical body of the Organization.

It consists of all Member States.

The functions of the Maritime Safety Committee are to:

	Consider any matter within the scope of the Organization concerned with aids to navigation, construction and equipment of vessels,
	Manning from a safety standpoint,
	Rules for the prevention of collisions,
	Handling of dangerous cargoes,
	Maritime safety procedures and requirements,
	Hydrographic information,
	Log-books and navigational records,
	Marine casualty investigations,
	Salvage and rescue and any other matters directly affecting maritime safety.

The Committee is also required to provide machinery for performing any duties assigned to it by the IMO Convention or any duty within its cope of work which may be assigned to it by or under any international instrument and accepted by the Organization.

It also has the responsibility for considering and submitting recommendations and guidelines on safety for possible adoption by the Assembly.

The Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC)

Consists of all Member States

Empowered to consider any matter within the scope of the Organization concerned with prevention and control of pollution from ships.

Concerned with the adoption and amendment of conventions and other regulations and measures to ensure their enforcement.

Sub-Committees:

	The MSC and MEPC are assisted in their work by nine sub-committees which are also open to all Member States.
	They deal with the following subjects:

	Bulk Liquids and Gases (BLG)
	Carriage of Dangerous Goods, Solid Cargoes and Containers(DSC)
	Fire Protection (FP)
	Radio-communications and Search and Rescue (COMSAR)
	Safety of Navigation (NAV)
	Ship Design and Equipment (DE)
	Stability and Load Lines and Fishing Vessels Safety (SLF)
	Standards of Training and Watchkeeping (STW)
	Flag State Implementation (FSI)

Legal Committee

	Empowered to deal with any legal matters within the scope of the Organization.
	Consists of all Member States of IMO.
	Empowered to perform any duties within its scope which may be assigned by or under any other international instrument and accepted by the Organization.

Technical Co-operation Committee

Considers any matter within the scope of the Organization concerned with the implementation of technical co-operation projects for which the Organization acts as the executing or co-operating agency.

Any other matters related to the Organization’s activities in the technical co-operation field.

The Technical Co-operation Committee consists of all Member States of IMO.

Facilitation Committee

A subsidiary body of the Council.

Deals with IMO’s work in eliminating unnecessary formalities and “red tape” in international shipping.

Participation in the Facilitation Committee is open to all Member States of IMO.

Updated: July 08, 2003