IMO 2014 priorities outlined

In his new year address, IMO secretary general Koji Sekimizu outlined some of the targets, challenges and priorities the organisation faces this year.

In his speech, given at the first meeting of the newly-formed IMO Sub-Committee on Ship Design and Construction, he reiterated his commitment to previously-stated targets of eliminating piracy and halving maritime casualties.
He said he also hoped for further progress in the ‘Accident Zero’ campaign, which he launched last year in conjunction with IALA (the International Association of Lighthouse Authorities) and pledged further efforts to implement the Djibouti Code of Conduct with IMO’s partner organisations.
Sekimizu repeated his call of last year, made at IMO’s Future Ship Safety Symposium, for serious efforts to begin to develop a “new concept” of ship safety.
This, he said, could be enshrined in a new SOLAS Convention to be adopted in 2024, which would mark 50 years since the adoption of the current SOLAS Convention – SOLAS 1974. Sekimizu urged IMO member governments and the shipping industry to put forward contributions on the subject for discussion at the next session of the Maritime Safety Committee.
Other high-priority issues for this coming biennium highlighted by Sekimizu included:

· The smooth introduction of IMO’s new sub-committee structure.
· Preparation for the organisation’s mandatory Member State Audit Scheme
· Implementation of goal-based standards for construction of tankers and bulk carriers.
· Adoption of a mandatory polar code during 2014.
· Handing over implementation of the Djibouti Code of Conduct to the signatory states and establishing a similar project for the Gulf of Guinea.
· Implementation of the EEDI.
· Entry into force criteria for the Ballast Water Convention to be met this year, so that it can be implemented before the end of this biennium.
· Bringing forward the study on availability of low sulphur fuel at the target year of 2020, to help bring about the global reduction of sulphur emissions from ship's exhaust.
He also pledged that he would also continue his review and reform efforts in order to ensure an even more efficient delivery from the IMO Secretariat.
In addition, he launched the theme of this year’s World Maritime Day - “IMO conventions: effective implementation”, expressing the hope that the year would see genuine progress towards effective and global implementation of all IMO conventions.
Sekimizu said the theme provided an opportunity to shine a spotlight on those IMO treaty instruments which have not yet entered into force, as well as wider and more effective implementation of measures already agreed or in place.