What is International Association of Classification Societies

(IACS)?
Over 90% of the world’s merchant shipping tonnage is classified by the 12 member societies
of the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS). Dedicated to safe ships
and clean seas, IACS makes a unique contribution to maritime safety and regulation through
technical support, compliance verification and research and development. IACS was formed
in 1968 to promote high standards in safety, pollution prevention and to liaison closely with
the shipping industry and organisations.

IACS members class a huge number of ships and most international administrations use the
IACS members rules and regulations as the basis of their fleet’s license to operate including
compliance with mandatory requirements. The members carry out surveys each year and
otherwise as well as playing an active part in the workings of the IMO. It has a voice in the
development of international conventions and also in providing technical support to member
states of the IMO.

The Contribution
With its extensive knowledge of the industry and fleet, IACS provides a massive contribution
to international shipping and regulations, depending obviously on the input from the
members. Although it is a non-governmental organisation, it holds a consultative status with
the IMO and regularly participates in the capacity of an observer as well as an adviser to the
IMO and the member states.

Enhance Survey Programs

The ESP was introduced for oil tankers and bulk carriers by the IACS in 1993. Included in
SOLAS Chapter 9, it came into full effect in 1996.
 Transfer Of Class
This agreement to be able to prevent transfer the class was enforced in 1995. In this, the
objective was to prevent the transfer of a ship from one class with one IACS member to
another to avoid unnecessary surveys and repairs.

IACS Activities
Ship Classification Services
Ensuring High Standard
Publications
A Safer Future

IOMOU

1. The Indian Ocean Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control (Indian Ocean MoU), signed in Pretoria (South
Africa) on 5 June 1998.

- Member States. 20
Australia, Bangladesh, Comoros, Djibouti*, Eritrea, France, India, Iran (Islamic Republic of),
Kenya, Maldives, Mauritius, Mozambique*, Myanmar*, Oman, Seychelles*, South Africa, Sri
Lanka, Sudan, Tanzania and Yemen

- Observers. IMO, ILO, Abuja MoU, Black Sea MoU, Equasis, Ethiopia, USCG, Tokyo MoU and Riyadh MoU.

- Target Inspection
10% annual inspection rate per country within 3 years
Rate.

- Relevant Instruments. • LL 66 1. SOLAS 74 • SOLAS PROT 78 • MARPOL 73/78/97

1. STCW 78 1. COLREG 72 1. TONNAGE 69 1. ILO 147

 1. ILO 147 PORT 96
1. MLC 06

- Official Languages. English.

- Chairman. Capt. Francois Beaugrand (France).

- Secretary- Mr.Dilip MEHROTRA

- Information Centre Indian Ocean MoU Computerized Information System (IOCIS),

Director Address. Information Centre Pune, India

IALA Buoyage System For Mariners – Different Types Of

Marks
The development of a uniform system of buoyage throughout the world was of paramount
importance for safe navigation at sea. As traffic lights are used to guide drivers on road, similarly
buoys and beacons are indispensable for guiding mariners at sea.

Imagine what would have happened if more than one buoyage system was in use around the world.
Different buoyage system means different rules, in complete conflict with one another. It would
cause confusion and lead to accidents.

With the aim of improving navigational safety to act as a barrier to dangers to shipping and to solve
differences of opinions, efforts were made to establish a single set of rules by IALA –
INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MARINE AIDS TO NAVIGATION AND LIGHTHOUSE AUTHORITIES,
which gave them a choice of using red to port or red to starboard, on a regional basis.

For the sake of maintaining uniformity in buoyage system worldwide, IALA divided the world into
two regions – Region A and Region B.

Region A includes Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Africa, the Gulf and some Asian countries
whereas Region B comprises of North, South, Central America, Japan, Korea and the Philippines.
IALA proposed a system allowing the use of lateral marks in each region, but whereas in region A,
the colour red of the Lateral System is used to mark the port side of channels and the colour green
for the starboard side. In region B, the colours are reversed. Regional variations do not pertain to
cardinal, isolated danger markings, safe watermarks or special marks.

IALA buoyage system provides six types of marks:

• Lateral marks
• Cardinal marks
• Isolated danger Marks
• Safe Water Marks
• Special Marks
• Emergency Wreck Marking Buoy

Hongkong convention

The Hong Kong International Convention for the safe and environmentally sound
recycling of ships, or Hong Kong Convention is a mulitateral convention adopted in 2009,
which has not entered into force. The conference that created the convention was attended
by 63 countries, and overseen by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), which is
a specialist agency of the United Nations (U.N). [1]

Hong Kong Convention

Hong Kong International Convention for

the safe and environmentally sound
recycling of ships

Signed 15 May 2009

 Hong Kong
Location

Effective not effective

Condition 15 ratifications, representing 40%

of the world merchant shipping by
gross tonnage, and on average 3%
of recycling tonnage for the
previous 10 years

Signatories 5

Parties 6

Depositary Secretary-General of IMO

Languages Arabic, Chinese, English, French,

Russian and Spanish

The convention has been designed to try to improve the health and safety of current ship
breakingpractices. Ship breaking is considered to be "amongst the most dangerous of
occupations, with unacceptably high levels of fatalities, injuries and work-related
diseases"[2] by the ILO as large ships are often beached and then dismantled by hand by
workers with very little personal protective equipment(PPE). This is most common in Asia,
with India, Bangladesh, China, and Pakistan holding the largest ship breaking yards. [3]
The Hong Kong Convention recognised that ship recycling is the most environmentally
sound way to dispose of a ship at the end of its life, as most of the ship's materials can be
reused. However, it sees current methods as unacceptable. The work sees many injuries
and fatalities to workers, as they lack the correct safety equipment to handle the large ship
correctly as it is dismantled and most vessels contain a large amount of hazardous
materials such as asbestos, PCBs, TBT, and CFCs, which can also lead to highly life-
threatening diseases such as mesothelioma and lung cancer.[4]

Rotterdam convention

The Rotterdam Convention (formally, the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed
Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International
Trade) is a multilateral treaty to promote shared responsibilities in relation to importation
of hazardous chemicals. The convention promotes open exchange of information and calls
on exporters of hazardous chemicals to use proper labeling, include directions on safe
handling, and inform purchasers of any known restrictions or bans. Signatory nations can
decide whether to allow or ban the importation of chemicals listed in the treaty, and exporting
countries are obliged to make sure that producers within their jurisdiction comply.

Type United Nations treaty

Signed 10 September 1998

Rotterdam, the Netherlands

Location

Effective 24 February 2004

Condition Ninety days after the ratification by

at least 50 signatory states

Signatories 72

Parties 161

Depositary Secretary-General of the United

Nations

Languages Arabic, Chinese, English, French,

Russian, Spanish